Houses, Love, and Dark Lords (Drarry Fanfiction)
by Warriorcatlover1215
Summary: Just like any year, Harry Potter and his best friends arrived at Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione have fallen out, something usual. But when Harry and Hermione are sorted into a different house, and Hermione is happy, Harry realizes something is wrong. House switching, Draco love, and Dark Lords are normal things, right?
1. Chapter 1– Home is Where the Snakes Live

"What do you mean? You just...fell out? But that has always happened, hell, for six years it has, Mione. Why are you staying away from him now?" Harry leaned forward in his seat of the Hogwart's Express, staring at the dark-haired girl in front of him. He pushed locks of shaggy black hair from his eyes, peering at her with quizzical green eyes. Her and Ron had gotten into a argument– again – this time leading to them falling out and "breaking up". They hadn't been officially dating but...  
"We just...fell out, Harry! I can't explain it, you wouldn't understand," Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat, petting Crookshanks, who lay peacefully sleeping in her lap, we just fell out, Harry! you wouldn't understand."

"But you two have argued before, but it has never gone so far that you didn't let him see me! Hermione what is–" Harry broke off as the train jerked to a halt, a familiar ear-splitting scream of the trains horn echoing in the air. "I'll talk to you when the feast is finished, I suppose..." Harry muttered.

"Sure..." Hermione gathered her stuff and they set off out of the train.

"Firs' years follow meh tis' way!" Harry looked up, seeing the giant form Hagrid in the middle of a group of first years. "Hello, Hagrid!" Harry shouted over the crowd.

Hagrid lifted a massive hand, waving at Harry, "see yeh at th' school, 'Arry!" He called.

Once they arrived at the massive stone castle of the Hogwart's school, Harry followed Hermione and the rest of the group of sixth years into the Great Hall. As always, candles hovered up towards the ceiling, and fire lanterns lining the walls of the massive Hall. Tables lined the center, and at the very top was a stool, a very old hat resting on it. And at the very back of the Hall was the Teacher's table. The tiny Professor Flitwick, the Charm's teacher, sat upon many cushions to see over the table. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Snape (whom Harry despised) sat at the very end of the table, looking utterly disgusted as always. Professor Trewlany, the Divination Professor, was looking misty as ever with her oversized glasses. And the Potions teacher, Professor Slughorn, was sitting beside Hagrid, chattering aimlessly. And Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creature's professor. In the very middle of the table, sat the Headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore. He was jerked out of his thoughts however, when Hermione yanked him sideways, narrowly missing a seventh year student. "Blimey, Hermione!" He spat, "what was that for?"  
"Ron!" Hermione hissed, settling down on the bench, at very end of the table. She pointed down the table, looking disgusted.

Harry followed her gaze, seeing his red headed friend sitting not to far away, as he sat down. "I really don't understand what is going on with you." He growled, just as the First Year's came in.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Harry waited impatiently for the hat to finish sorting, barely heard a word Dumbledore said, and dug in as soon as the food came, barely noticing Hermione eating very slowly and hardly anything at all.

A while later, Harry and Hermione walked out of the hall (Harry hastily agreeing to wait for Ron to leave before them) chattering aimlessly.

"Mr. Potter? And, ah yes, Miss Granger is here to."

Harry and Hermione whirled around to see Dumbledore behind them, "hello, Professor!" Hermione greeted, way to excited to see him in Harry's opinion.

"Hello," Harry greeted quietly.  
"Harry, I know you aren't going to like this news. But on Hermione's wishes, I have agreed to do it. I've never had to do this before..." Dumbledore started.

"Hermione's wishes? What?!" Harry exchanged a startled look with his best friend, before looking back at the Headmaster.

"Miss Granger and Mister Potter, you are both no longer Gryffindor's."

"WHAT?!" Harry almost screeched, turning the heads of the few students who had yet to leave the Hall. Harry thought he was going to faint. What had he done? Was he getting kicked from Hogwarts? Why was Hermione so happy? Why had she thrown a victorious fist in the air, and leapt so far off the ground, grinning like a mad-person? What the HELL what going on?! "I-I, Headmaster, this must be some mistake! Hermione, what the hell? Dumbledore?"  
Dumbledore's expression didn't change, except for a slight glitter in his eyes, "it's for the greater good and safety of you two."  
"Wait..." Harry stared at Dumbledore, dumbstruck, "are we being kicked out? What the hell is happening? Greater good?"

"No, no, Harry. You aren't being kicked out. But you are being moved to a different house. For reasons I cannot tell you yet, Harry," Dumbledore nodded at Hermione, who looked incredibly pleased with herself and Dumbledore.

"So...wait...what house...?"

"Oh yes, Dumbledore, you didn't say what house we are being moved to." Hermione spoke up.

Dumbledore was silent for a second, before smiling at the two, "what house? Oh, Slytherin."

Harry gaped, and at that moment felt like punching something, and at the same time curling up in a corner and dying.


	2. Chapter 2– The Slytherin Prince

Hi guys! I forgot to mention I own none of the characters, plot or setting! all of it belongs to J.K Rowling!

I will update as often as I can, but reviews will motivate me even more! and let me know what you think! thats all for now.

"This is absurd, Hermione! Absolutely fucking stupid! Slytherin! I respect Dumbledore, but fucking Slytherin?!" Harry snarled, storming down a flight of stairs after Hermione.

"It's the safest option, Harry," Hermione soothed.

"Safest option! Safest from what, exactly?! We aren't exactly safe with Malfoy around!" Harry bit out, hating the darkness of the halls as the made their way to the Slytherin Dorms.

"If you saw him at dinner you would think otherwise. He doesn't look healthy, Harry. He probably won't cause us any harm."

"Oh, now you're standing up for Malfoy? Great! Just fucking wonderful!"

"Harry! That's not it. I'm just saying he probably won't give us trouble, that's all." Hermione muttered as they slipped through the secret passage into the Slytherin Common room, on Dumbledore's instructions.

"I cannot believe I'm doing this," Harry hissed as they stepped inside. His eyes widened as he saw the common room though. Chairs and couches sat around the room, with a large fireplace, much like the Gryffindor Common Room except green and silver, and the crest was a snake of a lion. "I think you got the wrong room, Potter," Draco came up to them, sneering as always.

"Actually, Malfoy, we don't. Our houses have been switched. Ask Dumbledore if you don't believe me." Hermione stepped up to Harry's side, calmer then normal.

"Mudblood. I refuse to let you or Potter in," Draco hissed.

"Then I'll just have to go and get Dumbledore, I suppose," she shrugged, "unless you let us in."

"Just sod off, Malfoy! I don't want to be here either, but I can't do anything about it, I tried, so we're both just going to have to deal with it," Harry snapped, shoving past Draco and storming up what was the stairs to the boys dormitory. No one was up there, good, he thought as he spotted which bed was his, by his stuff sitting beside it, plus new Sytherin robes. He flopped onto his bed, hissing in frustration.

He hated it there. Even if he had only been there for a few minutes he new he hated it. 'And Malfoy! Dumbledore knows I hate him...' Harry sighed as he finished pulling on his nightclothes.

"Potter."

Harry heard the door open, and the voice of Draco reached him. He refused to answer, staying silent.

"Potter." Draco tried again. "Potter! God dammit, Potter, I know you're awake. Stop be childish and come out here for two seconds!"

Harry made a snarling like noise, and pushed the bed curtain aside. "What the fuck do you want, Malfoy?" He hissed. Now that he looked, he realized Hermione was right, Malfoy really didn't look healthy.

Draco huffed, crossing his arms across his chest, "yes, Harry Potter the Snappy Snake, that's what I'll call you." He muttered under his breath. "Why are you and Granger here?"

"Like I told you already, Malfoy, Dumbledore switched out houses. I don't know why, but I can't change it." Harry snapped.

"Jesus Potter! Try to be a little civil, will you?" Draco hissed, settling onto the end of his bed, just across from Harry's. "Why would he change you to Slytherin though? He knows your utter hatred for my house. And Granger of all people, in Slytherin. If anything, she deserves to be in Ravenclaw."

"She seems happy about it," Harry muttered.

"What happened to Weasleby? I thought you three where the Golden Trio, never to be separated?" There wasn't a hint of sneer in Draco's voice at all, as if he was just asking a genuine question for once.

"Ron? Him and Hermione had a falling out...I don't know, Hermione seemed...scared of him this time. It's...strange," Harry replied, meeting the intense silver gaze of Draco.

Draco leaned his elbows on his thighs, leaning his weight onto them. He tilted his head slightly, a lock of white-blonde hair falling across his forehead. "Scared? Of Weaselby? He's scared of spiders for Merlin's sake! And he's terrified of her cat, a damn cat! I heard him complaining about it all the time last year."

"Whatever Malfoy. I'm going to sleep."

"It's still early Potter. Even Granger's downstairs still." Draco pointed out.

"Like you give a fuck." Harry snapped, closing the curtain and laying down.

"Potter! Potter, wake up!"

Harry jerked awake, Malfoy's voice echoing outside the bed curtain.

"Potter, it's almost breakfast! I know it's dark down here, you have to get used to it. Get the fuck up, though! You're going to miss breakfast!"

Harry pushed the curtain away, glaring at the already dressed Draco, "sod off, Malfoy. Why do you even care?"

"Just, hurry up Potter." Draco growled.

Harry trotted down the stairs, dressed in his Sytherin robes, "morning, Hermione." He greeted. Though what shocked him, more then one person greeted him. Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini chorused 'Good morning, Potter!' On there way out, and a few students unknown to him greeted him and Hermione as well.

"Hello, Harry. We better-"

"Well, well, well! I have to say Potter, and even you Mudblood," Draco strode over to them, his robes billowing around his ankles. What Harry realized though, is he didn't have the confidence in his stride as he did before, "that you look much better in green then red."

Harry rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "If we are going to be stuck down here for the rest of our time at Hogwarts, I would appreciate it if you stopped calling her a Mudblood!"

"Harry! It's fine. Just leave it." Hermione murmured, pulling him away from Draco.

"Oh, my deepest apologies Saint Potter, I will from now on forget that she punched me in the face, and do as you say, almighty Saint Potter," Draco sneered.

"Fuck off, Malfoy." Harry hissed, following Hermione out of the Common room.

"I just screw everything up," Draco muttered to himself after they left. He meant it, Harry looked gorgeous in green. Wait...gorgeous?


	3. Chapter 3– To Tame a Snake in Lion's Fur

Hello! Again, I do not own Harry Potter. If I owned Harry Potter, Cedric, Dobby, Snape, Remus, Tonks, and so many others would still be alive and Drarry would be real XD

Please review! Now, taming a lion isn't easy, but to tame a lion that is really a snake at heart, is even harder.

...

Harry, snarling under his breath, followed Hermione out of the dungeons. In the main corridors to the Great Hall, they got many stares, especially from the Gryffindor's. They have have been so confused, seeing two of the most loved people in Gryffindor, wearing Slytherin robes. Harry flinched when a fifth year Slytherin girl, who he recognized as Alissa Piers, came up beside him and Hermione, "ignore the stares. They are confused why their two of their Golden Trio is wearing Slytherin robes," she whispered to Harry.

"They'll have to get used to it," Hermione murmured.

"Harry, Hermione!" Luna fell into stride beside Hermione, her blue-gray eyes quizzical, "why in the name of Rowena are you wearing Slytherin robes?" She queried.

"Um, funny story Luna...our houses got switched..." Hermione murmured to her.

Luna shrugged indifferently, "oh well! Dumbledore knows what he's doing."

"Father says that the old oaf hasn't a clue how to run a school!" Draco sneered as he strode past them into the Great Hall.

"HOW MANY TIMES MALFOY?!" Harry yelled after him, "SOD THE HELL OFF!" He hissed as he heard Draco's cackling laughter from inside the Hall.

"Ignore him, Harry. He's just being a git," Alissa murmured, walking in with them to the Hall, Luna splitting off from the group to join a Ravenclaw.

"Oh how lovely," Harry muttered as he was forced to sit at the Slytherin table, right across from Malfoy. "You're a git, you know that, Malfoy?" He hissed.

Draco barely looked at him, though his nostrils flared as he heard Harry's voice, "I was merely stating the truth, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes, and smiled gratefully as Hermione sat down beside him, and Alissa on the other. At least they where tolerable Slytherins.

"Harry! Hey, Harry!"

Harry turned around slowly and realized Neville was whispering to him from the Gryffindor table. "Hi, Neville. Before you ask...yes, I'm in Slytherin now..." He whispered back, sighing.

"W-what? Why!?" Now Ginny, who was next to Neville, turned around.

"I don't know, Gin. I really don't. Meet Mione and me in the library after classes, alright? I'll talk to you there."

"Potter, quit talking to your Gryffindor friends and eat, we have DADA really soon," Draco hissed, causing Harry to jump and turned around, "I don't need you losing points from Slytherin for being late."

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry snarled, eating in uneasy silence, listening to the whispers about him and Hermione from the rest of the tables.

...

Listening to Snape drawl on about old Dark Wizards and Dementors was probably the worst thing to Harry, considering he was one, sitting next to Draco Malfoy, and two, he had already learned almost all of it.

"Potter," Harry flinched when Draco elbows him harshly, hissing in his ear. "Do you have more parchment?"

"If I did, why would I share it with you, Malfoy?" Harry growled.

"Potter, come on. I need it, or I'll fail this test, and Father...he won't like that..."

Harry tensed, brow furrowing when Malfoy's voice broke at the end of his sentence. 'Something's not right here...' He thought as he pulled a sheet of parchment from his bag, "here. Just take–" he stopped speaking when he turned to Malfoy, their faces barely inches apart. Harry realized up close, how gorgeous Draco's silver-gray eyes where, but also how...haunted he looked..."just...take...it," he forced out.

'Fuck.' Draco froze in place, eyes locked on Harry's brilliant green eyes. His breath hitched in his throat, and he swallowed hard, reaching out a shaking pale hand to take the parchment from Harry.

"Boys!" Snape's cold voice ripped through the air, and both of them jerking away from each other, looking up at the Professor with wide eyes. "Just what do you think you where doing?" He drawled, closing the space between their desk and him.

"N-nothing, Professor," Harry stammered, a flush of color rising on his cheeks, "nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing Potter, what where you doing with Draco?" Snape's cold, drawling, low voice chilled Harry to the bone, the dark brown, almost black, eyes boring into him.

"Professor! I saw what happened, it was a mistake they where so close. Malfoy was to close to Harry, and when Harry turned to him they just came face to face. Nothing happened between them." Alissa Piers spoke up, causing Snape to turned away from the two boys.

"Very well," Snape hissed, turning away from them. "Class is over. I want two scrolls on Dementors by next class, which is on Monday."

Harry quickly grabbed his stuff and left, followed by Hermione and Alissa.

Draco sighed, watching Harry leave. 'He is so Goddamn precious when he's like that. Merlin, kill me now.'

...

"And he just put you in Slytherin? No explanation?" Neville murmured. Ginny, Harry, Luna, Hermione (who was conveniently 'busy reading for Potions class' with Alissa), Neville and Alissa sat in the library, speaking in hushed voices.

"Mhm, all he said was 'for the greater good and safety of you two,' It truly doesn't make sense." Harry murmured, suddenly dropping his voice even lower, "Hermione seemed very happy about it, and I haven't seen Ron since we got here, and Hermione had a argument with him," he whispered.

"Peculiar," Luna mused, gingerly braiding Ginny's flaming red hair, "maybe her head is full of Wrackspurts."

"Luna!" Ginny gasped, "her head is not full of Wrackspurts!"

Luna shrugged, "you don't know that, Ginny."

Harry sighed, "what the bloody hell is a Wrackspurt?"

"It's a small creature that gets in your ears and makes your head go fuzzy," Luna replied, swirling a finger by her ear, speaking as if it was perfectly normal.

"Ok...thanks for that Luna." Harry muttered.

Neville frowned, "why would she be happy about being sorted into Slytherin? She despises Malfoy and most of the rest of them, right?"

Harry nodded, before turning his head suddenly as a flicker of movement caught his eye. 'Malfoy.'

"Shove over Potter," Draco hissed, sliding into the chair next to him and slamming a pile of books on the table.

"Hello, Malfoy," Luna cooed, still braiding Ginny's hair.

"Hello, Lovegood," Draco muttered, flipping open a book.

"You aren't wanted here, Malfoy. There is plenty of other places to sit," Harry hissed.

"Harry! Be nice!" Luna yelped, raising her voice for once in her life. Harry narrowed his eyes at her, glaring. He looked back at Draco, letting out a sigh, "what the fuck do you want, Malfoy?"

Draco let out a guttural growl, glaring at the group surrounding him. "I...need...your...help..." He winced, forcing the words out.

"Well, what do you need help with?" Neville asked, perking up slightly.

"Herbology. Longbottom...you..are like, Sprouts prize student...and I..." He winced even more, "really need help."

Neville held a hand out, "let me see what you have." He took the papers from Draco as he handed them over, reading over the papers swiftly. "Oh, no, no. See, you have to..."

Needless to say, no one ever expected to see Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Alissa Piers and Hermione Granger doing homework together, getting along easily as if they had known each other all their lives.


	4. Bonus Chapter– A Chat with Draco

Hi all! First, IK this is the second chapter today, Ik. But I've been working on this and I like it, so... This is in forth/fifth year, Ft. Alissa Piers and Draco Malfoy! This is just a bonus review, about Draco's nightmares and sexuality.

Second, chapters from now on will be longer, min. 2,000 words, so it'll take me longer to write, i'll probably update every other day.

And please, please, please review! I really, really want to know what everyone thinks! Even if its bad, I want to know! Thanks!

Enjoy!

...

Alissa crept down the stairs into the Slytherin Common Room, awoken from her sleep by a strange noise. She thought it was probably the Mermaids out in the Black Lake tapping on the windows, or the small squids sweeping by, but no. Sleeping on the couch was Draco, writhing underneath the blanket someone must have laid on him. Cold sweat glistened on his face, and he was letting out whimpering sobs in his sleep. Alissa dashed over to him, shaking his shoulder roughly, "Dray, wake up," she hissed, "Drake! Draco Malfoy wake the hell up!" She snarled.

Draco jerked away, shoving himself upright. He was suddenly very alert, silver-gray eyes wide. "A-A-l-lissa," he stammered, his voice coming out in a weak sob.

"Dray...Dray, what's wrong?" She whispered, settling down on the edge of the couch. He was sobbing, tears streaming down his pale face.

"N-nothing, leave me alone." He hissed, frantically trying to compose himself.

"What's wrong?" She pestered. "Please tell me, I'm worried about you. You haven't been yourself the past year." She eyed him carefully, brows furrowed in concern for the other fifth year. He just looked at her with haunted gray eyes, his shoulders trembling. She had to admit, she had never, in the whole time she had known Draco, seen him so shaken. "What's wrong?" She asked again, climbing onto the couch and kneeling so she was a little higher then he was, and wrapped her arms around him. She felt him stiffen, before relaxing into her arms. Draco was like a brother to her, and she knew he had nightmares, but never what they where about. When he stayed silent, she rested her cheek against his soft white hair, "do I have to beg Snape for a bottle of Veritaserum?"

Draco shuddered, his throat closing on him. "Alissa," he sobbed, now unable to contain the silent liquid emotion that poured from his eyes. His heart hammered wildly in his chest, his breathing ragged, "I can't do it, I can't...I want to tell you...but I...I can't," he whispered, clinging to her like a life line. He hated that he felt so pathetic, so weak.

"Draco, tell me what the hell is going on! Come ON! Don't be a pathetic coward!" She snarled.

Draco's breath hitched, her words eliciting a audible sob. He knew when she panicked she said things she didn't mean, but it still felt like a stab to the heart.

Alissa released a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and smoothed his pale white hair with a delicate hand, "I'm sorry, Drake. I didn't mean to be so harsh...I'm really worried, please tell me."

"Nightmares. Alissa, you know this," Draco whispered, his voice shaking.

"Tell me about them. Tell me about this one, the one you just had," Alissa urged softly, releasing him from her grasp to look him in the eyes.

He drew in a shuddering breath, forcing himself to meet his gaze. "I...was in the manor. It looked normal at first, but...so cold...so...dark and...horrifying. Blood...the stairs, the floor, it was coated in so much blood. I went up the stairs to the main room, and it was...horrible. Alissa, it was terrifying. Aunt Bellatrix was shrieking with laughter, and she had that crazed look in her eye, and she had Potter with her, a knife to his throat. Father...he had..." He choked back a sob, forcing to compose himself, his body shaking, "he had Mum pinned to the floor...and he used the Cruciatus Curse on her. She shrieked. Alissa...she shrieked so loud, like she was in so much pain she wanted to die. I tried to go to her, but something froze me, kept me there. To watch them. Father...he kept using the curse on my mum, over and over until she couldn't take it, just laid there, shaking. And Aunt Bella, she...she...she just killed Potter, slammed the blade into his throat, let him drop down no shake until he died, his blood pooling at her feet as she watched with a crazed satisfaction at his pain. And Father, I had hoped if he was to kill Mum that he would give her a painless death after using the Cruciatus Curse on her. But no...no. He cut ever bit of skin he could reach, before killing her. Oh...Alissa, I can't. The look in their eyes, the crazed look in Father and Aunt's Bella's eyes...it was horrifying. And Potter and Mum, they where so scared, and in so much pain, I could see it in their eyes. I just want to forget all of these nightmares!" He sobbed, letting her envelop him completely. He could feel his heart slamming against his chest, threatening to burst out, his body shaking.

"Draco, oh Salazar. You shouldn't...have to see that." She planted a gently kiss on his head, and pulled the blanket back over his shoulders. "I have a question, Draco. You don't have to answer it, but if you can I would like to know. Why do you think Potter was there?" She suddenly felt him freeze in her arms, and she felt him stop breathing.

"I-I...no...I can't..." He whimpered.

"I won't judge you if you're friends with him, Draco. I don't mind." She murmured.

Draco pulled away to look at her. "No, no Alissa, I'm not friends with him," he started, "but oh, Alissa, I like him, and not just as a person," his voice suddenly went low, into a panicked whisper, "I love him, Alissa. I have the biggest crush on him you wouldn't believe. Yes, yes Alissa I love boys, I don't know how or why but I've never been able to be attracted to girls. I am so fucking attracted to Potter, it tears me apart because I'm a destined to be a Deatheater, to follow Voldemort, to KILL him. Alissa, I can't help it, I love him!"

Alissa slowly drew her hands up to cover her gaping mouth, her green eyes wide, "oh fuck, Draco." She murmured, "it's ok, it...everything'll be fine." She murmured soothingly, reaching out a hand to rest it on his shoulder.

He smacked her hand away, panicking, "no, no! You don't understand, Alissa. It's not fine, it's not ok. I'm a monster, don't you see that? How can I love him when I'm afraid that I'm going to hurt him, because I know I will? It's in my blood to kill. But he's so...fucking...gorgeous. Morgana, what am I going to do?! I can't feel like this! Everything forbids how I feel! I don't want to love him but I do." He sobbed, planting his face in his hands.

Alissa frowned, watching her beloved brother figure break apart before her eyes. She had never, in her entire life, felt so helpless to her pained brother figure. She let out a long sigh, playing with locks of his gorgeous hair between her fingers, her other hand stroking his back gently. "Draco," she soothed softly, "you have to avoid him, then. At all costs. Don't speak to him, don't taunt the Golden Trio, nothing. I know it'll be hard, but..."

"You're right, Alissa, I'm just going to...forget him." Draco muttered, his heart shattering at the thought as he pulled away from her. "Night, Alissa." He murmured.

"Goodnight, Draco. It'll be ok, fate will either bring you two together or tear you two apart, which ever it decides is best. Just remember that, Draco."


	5. Chapter 4– Love takes Time

December 3rd, The Great Hall, 1:00 PM

...

"Ah, Mr. Potter, and you as well, Miss Granger, can I have a word?" McGonagall came over to the pair, who where just about to leave the Great Hall after lunch.

"Oh, of course, Professor!" Hermione lifted her bag from the bench, standing up to greet her professor.

"I need to know if the two of you are staying over Christmas,"

"I am," Harry said instantly, casting a glance at Hermione, "you don't have to, you know. I'll be fine here," he murmured.

"No, no, absolutely not Harry. I'm staying here as well, Professor McGonagall," Hermione insisted, straightening her robes.

"Very well," McGongall agreed lightly.

"Professor? Are you collecting names of students who are staying over Christmas break?" Draco asked, coming up behind the pair.

"I am, Mr. Malfoy. Though I don't see why you would need to know that? I thought you would go back to your parents,"

Draco shook his head, locks of white hair falling across his face, "no, Professor. I'll be staying here over Christmas break."

Harry eyed Draco strangely, raising a eyebrow. He had barely interacted with the other fifth year since the library.

"Alright then..." McGonagall eyed Draco suspiciously, before walking away.

"Where have you been, Malfoy? Why are you avoiding me all the sudden?" Harry hissed, turning on the other Slytherin.

Draco's brows furrowed, and his heart did a strange flip when Harry asked where he had been, "busy, Potter. None of your business, I would think," he growled.

"Harry, hey, Harry!" Ron came dashing over to the three of them, delighted to see his friend. He slowed when he saw Malfoy and Hermione, throwing them both disgusted glares, before turning back to Harry. "Mum owled me, she said you can come and stay at the Burrow with us!"

Harry glanced at Hermione and Malfoy, before looking back at Ron, "hi, Ron. I'm so sorry, I really am, but I am already staying here. Sorry..."

"Oh yes, I see how it is! Don't worry, just stay with your precious Slytherins!" Ron spat.

"Leave him alone, Weaselby," Draco growled, stepping up and pulling Harry back by the arm.

Ron made a face that could only be described as utter disgust, "now you're protecting him?! Bloody hell, Harry! I thought you knew how tell the wrong sort for yourself. But I guess not, seeing you're associating with both Granger AND Malfoy!"

"Fuck off, Ronald!" Hermione yelped.

Draco and Harry shared a glance, both to taken aback to speak.

Ron sneered at them, before stalking off.

Both Harry and Draco turned to Hermione, both to startled to even acknowledge the fact that Draco had stood up for Harry. "The hell was that, Hermione?!" Harry yelped.

"I thought you and Weaselby where a thing!"

"It...it's nothing!" Hermione whipped away from them, seeming to be on the verge of tears, as she dashed to catch up with Alissa.

Draco suddenly let go of Harry's arm, shuffling away slightly. "That was...strange," he muttered.

"Everything has been strange this year, Malfoy. But this...no. This isn't normal. Come on, we have Potion's," he jerked his head toward the Great Hall doors, and walked out, followed by Malfoy.

"What are you going to do about it?" Draco asked.

"What?"

"Granger and Weaselby."

"I don't know. I have to figure out why they are fighting so badly...I caught them arguing in the corridors yesterday." Harry replied tensely.

"Ask Alissa?" Draco suggested, "her and Granger are pretty close now. She might know something.

"Clever. I'll ask Ginny and Neville to, see if they know anything about Ron," Harry murmured, trotting down a flight of stairs.

"Your Longbottom friend there is pretty clever when it comes to Herbology. Smarter then I first thought he was." Draco commented.

"Lot of people misjudge Neville." Harry muttered, swinging open the door of the Potion's classroom, seeing Professor Slughorn. "Oh great," Harry groaned.

...

December 4th, Library, 7:30 PM

...

"What are you doing, Harry?" Luna asked, sitting at the long table in the library.

"Nothing," Harry growled, writing on a piece of parchment, hovering over it.

"Avoiding everyone isn't going to help the problem, Potter." Draco pointed out.

"What problem?" Neville looked up from his book, looking over at Harry.

When Harry was silent, Draco huffed, glancing at Hermione and Alissa who where farther down the table. "Granger and Weasley are arguing, but it's very, very strange. Potter wants to know if you have noticed Weasley acting strange. And you, Weaslette, you're his sister, you must know what's going on, right?"

"Well..." Ginny started, looking hesitant. "Well what, Weaslette? Come on." Ginny glared at Draco, before looking at Harry, "he has been acting off since the start of term, but, I dunno...nothing to bad."

Harry frowned, looking thoughtful, "hmm...alright." He muttered.

"Harry," Neville finally spoke up, "in his sleep, he talks about...her," he inclined his head to Hermione, "and...bad things. Mudblood. He calls her a Mudblood in his sleep."

The table fell silent, except for Alissa and Hermione, oblivious to the conversation.

"Mudblood..." Draco repeated, sounding as if the name tasted bad. "But why?"

"Why do you care, Malfoy? You call her Mudblood all the time," Harry growled.

"Stuff it, Potter." Draco snapped.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Neville murmured.

Draco gnawed at his bottom lip in confusion, brushing hair from his face with a almost skeletal hand, Harry realized. "Weaselby calling Granger Mudblood..."

Neville made a small noise of conformation, nodding.

Draco's gaze drifted over to Alissa, watching the brunet closely, humming ever so quietly in thought.

"Oh no, Malfoy what are you thinking?" Harry hissed. "We aren't hexing anyone if that's what you are thinking."

"What! No, Potter! Never!" Draco snapped his gaze back to Harry, snorting innocently. "It's just...hmmmm..." He drew off thoughtfully, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"I'm so confused. Why do you want to help?"

"Never mind that, Weaslette. I know what we can do. Potter, Alissa and Granger share a dorm with a few other fifth years. Alissa and I are really close–" for some reason, Harry's heart clenched tightly at those words. "–I can get her to get information from Granger, then we can move from there, and see what Weaselby is up to." Draco's hand tapped the table thoughtfully. "If not...I can steal some Veritaserum from Snape's store, and 'accidentally' slip some into Granger's goblet..."

"Oh, Malfoy, don't!" Ginny scolded, her green eyes ablaze.

"Ok, ok! It was just a thought..."

"You have a good idea though, Malfoy...Harry, what do you think?" Ginny asked, turning to him.

"It could work...maybe..." Harry hummed thoughtfully. "You really are smarter then you look, Malfoy."

"I'm so flattered Potter," Draco retorted sarcastically.

"Boys, now is not the time. Malfoy, get Piers to speak to Hermione. After what Neville told us, I'm slightly scared." Ginny murmured.

"Me to, Gin, me to..."

...

December 4th, Slytherin Common Room, 9:00 PM

...

"You want me to WHAT?!" Alissa hissed.

"Keep your voice down, Issa!" Draco growled. "I need you to start asking Granger about Weaselby!" Draco flinched when Granger let out a yelp as a small squid like creature swept by the window she was by.

"No, Dray! I'm not doing that. I'm not pester Hermione about her love life. I'm sorry, but I'm not doing it."

"Issa please. You have to, because...I think she might be in danger. Longbottom said Weaselby keeps calling her a Mudblood in his sleep, and a lot of other horrid things, and...I don't know, it's freaking Weaslette and Potter out, and we need to get to the bottom of this. Please, Lissa?"

Alissa furrowed her brow, glancing at Hermione. "Dray...n– alright. I'll do it. But I'm not going to push her..."

"Thank you," he murmured standing up from the couch a creeping over to Harry, unnoticed by Granger. "Hey, Potter. Issa said she'd do it," he whispered.

Harry looked up from his book, meeting a pair of startling silver eyes, "good...hopefully we can figure out what's going on." He forced a smile to Draco, before breaking eye contact quickly.

Draco gnawed his bottom lip, straightening up slowly. "I'm going upstairs. See you later, Potter." He murmured, his hand brushing against Harry's shoulder as he passed, leaving a burning sensation in Harry's chest.

A/N: Well, there! What do you guys think about Draco now after reading the bonus chapter? Like him more, less, same? And don't worry for my Neville, Luna and Ginny lovers, they will be around more (and, hehe, maybe a little something between Gin and Neville ;) ) Also! I do not own Harry Potter! J.K. Rowling does! i am not getting paid for this in anyway!

please review!


	6. Chapter 5– Speaking With Snake's Tongue

**December 7th, Slytherin Common Room, 8:30 PM**

**...**

The rest of the students had left for Christmas Break early, which left only four people in the Slytherin Common Room. Alissa Piers, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.

It was eerie, the silence in the room. There where few noises, the crackling of the fire, the soft swish of water outside the class as a small squid swam by, Hermione and Alissa's hushed voice, or the soft flick of parchment or a hushed spell from the two boys sitting on opposite ends of the couch. But still, the silence was eerie, and painful, the four fifth years somehow scared to break the delicate bond of silence.

Harry glanced up from his homework, casting a glance around the room. A shudder passed through his body as cold seeped into the cold dungeons, chilling its students to the bone. Outside in the lake, a plant shot out to grab a beetle, hitting the window with a loud THUD. All four students jumped, before realizing what it was.

"This is stupid," Draco commented under his breath, "scared of a fucking plant, what are we, first years?"

Harry shuddered, sinking deeper into his sweatshirt, "guess so..." He murmured, settling his quill on the couch.

"It's cold in here," Hermione murmured, edging closer to the fire.

"The dungeons are cold, Granger. Put more clothes on." Draco commented coldly, earning a well-deserved smack to the shoulder from Harry. "The hell was that for, Potter?" He seethed.

"Don't talk to Hermione like that."

"Boys! Quit it, will you? It's Christmas, we should be kind to each other." Alissa growled.

"Sorry." Both Harry and Draco muttered.

"Come on, Alissa. They don't like each other, and forcing them to share the same living space just makes it worse," Hermione reasoned softly.

Draco stole a glance at Harry, before looking away quickly. _But you're wrong! I do like him, Granger!_ "I'm going to bed," he suddenly snapped, snatching up his homework and sweeping out of the Common Room and up the stairs.

Alissa frowned, watching him leave, "who shoved their wand up his arse now?" She asked, glancing at the two.

Hermione shrugged, whilst Harry watched Draco leave. "Don't know. He hasn't been himself lately." Harry murmured, standing up. "I'll go see what's up," before heading over and trotting up the stairs, ignoring the girls chorus behind him. "It's not worth it!"

Harry went inside the boys dormitory, only to find Draco had shut himself in his bed already. "Malfoy?" He asked quietly. He got nothing. But a soft shuffle of sheets told him Draco had heard him. "Malfoy." He said it firmly this time, not like a question.

"Malfoy, you fucking arse!" He yanked open the curtains, and quickly wished he didn't.

Draco was on his bed, silent tears streaming down his pale face, his normally bright silver eyes dull.

"Malfoy...?"

Draco noticeably flinched when he spoke, hiding his face quickly, "leave me alone, Potter," he hissed.

"No...no, hey, what's wrong?" Harry suddenly had a pang of guilt for being so harsh toward the other Slytherin, when Draco was already stressed and hurting enough.

"I said leave me alone!" Draco spat, wiping his face on his sleeve.

"You're being a git! I'm trying to help you, and you just push me away! Let me fucking help you for once! Maybe I don't seem like it, but have to ever thought for a second that I might care a little?!" Harry seethed.

Draco looked up, startled. _No_ He scoffed to himself, _Potter doesn't care about me, no..._ He struggled to regain himself though, crumbling under Harry's intense green eyes. "Why the fuck would you care?" He rasped, losing the snarl in his tone.

"You aren't all you seem. You might be a Slytherin, and still a Malfoy, but you are better then I thought you where, and I've come to care for you a little."

_**"No!" **_Draco's eyes flashed, a primal snarl ripping itself from his throat suddenly. "I am _**not**_ a Malfoy! I am not my father, I refuse to let myself bare that name!"

"Hey," Harry sat at the end of Draco bed, looking over at him sympathetically, "breathe. I'm sorry, I didn't know you didn't like that name." Harry was confused, but felt guilty for making Draco so upset.

Draco drew his knees to his chest, folding his arms over his knees, and resting his head on his arms, forcing himself to stop crying. "Just leave me alone." He pleaded.

Harry narrowed his eyes, studying him. He realizes Draco's light gray long sleeve shirt clung to his frail frame, and his eyes where dull, exhausted and...haunted. A gaunt look to him, his face hollow, his normally sharp cheekbones even more prominent. His hair was whiter then ever, but duller to, no longer slicked back. He looked, to describe him in word word, broken. "No. What's wrong? Please, it...it's not good to keep it in." He murmured.

"I don't want to talk about it! You won't understand!" Draco's voice was shrill, panicky. That's when Harry realized Draco was panicking. He looked like a trapped animal, shaking and cowering away from Harry, flinching at every small noise or movement, eyes wide.

Harry stood up instantly, causing Draco to yelp, flinching. He back away, hands up. "Draco, you have to calm down. You're going to have a panic attack." He surprised himself in saying the other boys first name, and how easy it rolled off his tongue.

"I'm already have a panic attack, Potter!" Draco hissed.

"Do you want me to take you to the Hospital Wing?"

"No!" Draco hissed. "I just want...I just want..." He buried his head behind his legs.

"What do you want? Can I help you in anyway?"

He flinched away from Harry again, curling his body away, whispering, "I just want...I just want..." Under his breath in a hushed, panicked voice. Harry swore Draco was saying something else to, but the shrillness in the blondes voice made it impossible to tell.

Draco suddenly jumped, looking at Harry with wide, silver eyes. Harry had just said something. Sort of. It sounded like a hiss mixed with a snarl like noise, nothing a normal human could make. "Potter? Did you say something?"

Harry tilted his head, repeating this hissing noise, not aware of the strange language he was speaking. _'Do you need help, Draco? What can I do? What do you want?'_

He heard it clearly this time. Harry was speaking in Parseltongue, and Draco could understand him. _'You won't understand, Potter. You can't help me.'_ Even in Parseltongue, the blondes voice was a whimper, a mixture of weak hisses and a low growl.

_'Why not? Help me understand. And I can help you.'_ Harry edged closer to Draco, stopping when the blonde flinched noticeably.

"Stop speaking in that language." Draco suddenly muttered.

_'What?' _Harry shook his head, "what language?"

"Parseltongue. You were just speaking it."

"You can speak it to, can't you?" It wasn't a question, it was more of a delicate, uncertain guess.

Draco slowly met the raven-haired boys gaze, and nodded hesitantly, "I can."

"Were you born with it?"

"Taught. Self-taught."

"Impressive," Harry murmured, and moved to sit on the bed, closer to Draco, and this time he didn't flinch, "what's going on?" He asked softly.

_'Something's wrong. You don't have to tell me what, just tell me if I can help. D you want me to get Alissa?'_ Harry hissed.

"No!" Draco's eyes widened in fear, and he shook his head wildly.

"Calm DOWN!" He snarled, causing Draco to flinch away. "Ok...ok..." Draco whimpered, cowering under the intense green glare.

Tentatively, Harry reached a hand out, shifting slightly so he could rest it on Draco's shoulder. He felt the muscles under Draco's shirt ripple tensely at the contact, and Draco's refused to look at him. Harry was confused, uncertain and most of all, scared. This wasn't the Draco he knew. Instead it was like being in a cage with a panicked horse.

"Is this because of your parents?" Harry asked after several moments of silence. He had thought that Draco's parents had spoiled their son, but maybe he was wrong..."is that why this is happening? Why you decided to stay here?"

Draco swallowed hard, watching Harry uneasily. A hand slipped under his pillow, pulling out a piece of parchment, and he held it out to Harry, his hand shaking wildly, "promise me something," he rasped, on the verge of a sob. He retracted the paper from Harry before he could grab it, "promise me, no matter what you see, you will never tell anyone about this. Promise me, please..."

Harry stiffened. Maybe he didn't want to read the letter. There was such fear in the other boys eyes, and pleading that he wouldn't tell..."I promise." Harry murmured.

Draco was still hesitant, before holding the letter back out, hand shaking furiously.

Harry retracted his hand from his shoulder, and took the letter slowly. He felt Draco tense, before letting the letter go.

_Draco,_

_You have no idea how much trouble you are in. Running away like that. I know were you are, you're at Hogwarts. Hiding. Like a coward. But you'll see, when you are forced to come back this summer, you'll see Son, I'll make you pay. Just you wait._

He froze, eyes scanning the letter. "No." He gave a hoarse laugh, "this is some kind of joke, r-right? Your father loves you, I thought. You where like his prize possession, right?" He looked back at Draco, who looked ready to break into a million pieces.

"I wish it was...go, Potter, just...leave me alone!" He suddenly lashed out, pulling the letter back.

"Malfoy..." Harry pleaded, letting the letter go. "Let me help you."

"I said no!"

_'Fucking arse! Learn to accept help!'_ Harry hissed, standing up, _'I'm going back downstairs,'_ before storming down the stairs, hissing under his breath.

But Draco stayed where he was, and just closed the bed curtains, and sobbed silently, praying Harry didn't tell anyone. _**I just want you to know how I feel, Harry. But I'm scared.**_

**...**

**December 8th, Slytherin Common Room, 8:30 AM**

**...**

Hermione came up the stairs from the Girls Dorm into the Common Room, and instantly stopped, leaned against the wall, watching with furrowed brows at the sight between her.

Malfoy and Harry where arguing in the center of the Common Room, each looking equally pissed. But they where...hissing and growling and snarling and huffing, nothing like a human conversation at all. But they understood each other, and by the looks of it, the argument was getting more heated by each hiss that left their tongues. She was utterly dumbfounded for once, and strode into the center, still in her nightclothes. "Draco and Harry! _What the hell are you two doing_?! You're humans, not feral cats!" At that Crookshanks came into the room, and gave a indignant hiss.

Draco snarled at her, clearly insulting her, or at least telling her to back off. But she shook her head, "speak English, Draco, and I might understand you!"

Draco huffed, and hissed at Harry. "Tell Potter to leave me the fuck alone!"

"Tell Malfoy he's a insolent arsehole!" Harry spat, and Draco flinched at that.

"No, and no. Can you please explain why you where both hissing like snakes?"

"No. We just were. We're arguing, stay out of it." Harry retorted.

"Why are you arguing?" Hermione growled.

"Why do you think, Mione? He's a insolent arsehole who doesn't know what's good for him!"

"Maybe it's you who's a insolent arsehole who doesn't know when to leave people alone!" Hermione snarled. "If you two can't get along, separate!" She put her hands on her hips in a way that reminded Harry very much of Mrs. Weasley, and instantly both boys backed off, "fine, fine." Draco muttered.

"Now, get dressed! Breakfast is soon, I'm going to wake Alissa." And with that she turned around and trotted back down the stairs.

"Well, she's scary," Draco commented, heading for the stairs.

"Bloody brilliant, but scary," Harry added, following him. "Seriously, Malfoy, come on...please, tell me what's going on."

"Take Granger's advice, learn to leave people alone," Draco snarled as they got upstairs, and closed the curtains of his bed after he slipped inside.

_**I'm just trying to help.**_ Harry sighed as he slipped through his own curtains.

**...**

**December 8th, The Great Hall, 9:00 AM**

**...**

Draco crept into the Great Hall behind Harry, Alissa and Hermione, flinching at every small move or noise. He was surprised to see so many people staying. He recognized Neville, Luna, Ginny, Dean and Seamus at the Gryffindor table alone, and at the Ravenclaw table sat Cho Chang with three other girls. No one at the Slytherin table.

"Come on, Alissa. We can sit at the Gryffindor table, I'm sure the teachers won't mind, seeing how few people there are now," he heard Harry say. He longed to go with them, and pondered the idea, before just turning towards the Slytherin table. He stopped, a hand clamping around his wrist. Harry had stopped him. "Where are you going?"

_'To sit at the Slytherin Table, away from you,'_ Draco growled, his Parseltongue collecting the glances of the girls at the Ravenclaw table not to far away.

"Nope, nope you are not. Come on, Malfoy. Sit with us," Harry urged, coaxing him to the Gryffindor table slowly. To Harry's satisfaction, Draco followed numbly, settling down next to Hermione, where Harry sat on the other side of him.

"Hello, Malfoy," Luna cooed, looking up at the Slytherin with a smile.

"Hi, Lovegood. I'm surprised you aren't with your Ravenclaws," he commented.

"Oh no, Cho Chang doesn't like me all that much," Luna replied, but didn't sound all that disappointed. "Pass the butter please, Hermione."

"Weaslette? Thought you where going back with Weaselby?"

Ginny shook her head, "I wanted to stay here," she murmured, casting a affectionate glance at Neville, who shrunk under her gaze, turning a furious shade of red.

Draco stifled a chuckle, glancing at Harry, who was chatting across the table to Luna, something about Nargal's or something. But Draco didn't really care, to busy gawking at his fellow Slytherin. _Dammit, Draco. _He scolded himself mentally, looking away quickly.

But he had to admit, hanging with the Gryffindor's and the stray Ravenclaw was calming, even with Luna's nonsense Nargal's. It made him forget the looming threat of his father for a brief amount of time. But it didn't make him forget how hard he was crushing on the Gryffindor boy turned Slytherin.

A/N: WELL! Now we have a little outlook on Draco. Opinions on Harry's reaction? And on Lucius?

REVIEW PLEASE! :)


	7. Chapter 6– The Christmas Ball

Hello guys! Thanks to everyone who has viewed and followed this! PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I want to know what you think!

Key:

_**Thoughts**_

_Letters_

_'Parseltongue'_

"English"

**...**

**December 8th, The Great Hall, 5:30 PM**

**...**

Draco shifted in his seat, gnawing his bottom lip. He could feel Harry watching him, he could feel those intense green orbs studying his movements. He lifted his gaze off his empty plate, and looked at Harry. _'Why are you watching me?'_ He hissed. Everyone at the table flinched and stared at him.

_'Why aren't you eating?'_ Harry tilted his head slightly, locks of untamed black hair falling across his face. Their hisses and growls alarmed Ginny, Alissa, Luna, Neville and Hermione.

_'Why do you care, Potter?'_ Draco narrowed his eyes, uncomfortable with the stares he was getting.

"Hermione? What are they doing?" Draco heard a alarmed whisper from Ginny. "They've been doing this all day, Gin. I...I think they're speaking in Parseltongue. Snake language."

_'You haven't eaten much today. You're really skinny. Please eat. Please? '_ Harry pleaded, thankful for the fact that they could disguise their voices to sound like sneering rather then a plead.

"I thought...if you had Parseltongue, it meant you could talk to snakes? Not other people?" "I don't know, Gin."

Draco tried to ignore Harry, turning away from him, when he felt Harry's hand clamp around his wrist. The skin to skin contact sent waves of electricity up Draco's arm, and Harry's touch almost burned, even though Harry's skin was cold.

'_Malfoy. Eat. Please.'_

_'For Salazar's sake! Fine!__'_ Draco snarled. But he didn't move his hand away, single handedly getting some food, muttering under his breath.

Harry slowly retracted his hand, looking quite satisfied with himself, to Draco's disgust. _**Dammit Potter. If you didn't look so...damn...hot... **_Harry did look incredibly hot then, or maybe it was just Draco, he wasn't sure.

After they had finished eating, Alissa and Hermione rushed off to the library, followed by Neville, Luna and Ginny, "where are they off to?" Draco muttered.

"Library is my guess," Harry replied, standing up.

"Harry? And Mr. Malfoy? Could you two please come with me?" Dumbledore came up to them, causing the two Slytherin's to jump.

"O-of course, Professor," Draco stammered, following the Headmaster out of the Great Hall. He looked at Harry, eyes wide. _'Did you tell him about the...l-letter?!'_

Harry shook his head as they followed the Headmaster, following him into his office.

"You aren't in trouble boys, I just wanted to talk. Sit, please," Dumbledore indicated to two chairs as he sat down, Harry and Draco sitting hesitantly.

"Harry, how are you and Miss Granger holding up in Slytherin?"

"Um...f-fine, sir." Harry stammered.

"I trust you and Mr. Malfoy are getting along well? Miss Piers informed me you two have been acting like you want to kill each other!"

Draco sighed, "trust Alissa to make everything sound dramatic. We have been getting on fine, surprisingly Potter isn't as bad as I thought he was," He glanced at Harry, a affectionate glitter in his eyes. No one would have noticed that small little look...right? But someone did. Someone who wasn't Harry, the Sorting Hat or Fawkes.

"Mhm, Malfoy isn't being to arrogant I suppose." Harry agreed.

"Good. Now, Draco, I had a question for you. Is there a reason you decided to stay here over Christmas? Your parents haven't sent me any letters or anything." Dumbledore murmured.

Draco stiffened, his throat tightening. "A-Alissa is staying here over Christmas as her parents are away. I-I wanted to be with her, s-sir, you know she's like a sister to me."

Dumbledore made a noise that indicated he didn't quite believe him, but let it go anyway. "I want to tell you boys something. This Christmas we have a very large amount of people staying at Hogwarts, and I decided that we need to have something fun for Christmas. I want you boys to collect the remaining students, in the library, one of your Common Room's, I don't mind, and plan a Christmas Eve Ball theme together."

Draco and Harry blinked, shared a glance, and looked back at their Headmaster. "Us." They said blankly, in unison. "You want us to plan a ball?" Draco asked dumbly.

"With the other students, yes."

"But...why?" Harry asked in utter confusion.

"In celebration of Christmas of course, Harry. Now, run along. Collect your friends and the other students."

Draco and Harry stood up, and left his office, dumbstruck. "Why us?" Harry asked to no one in particular.

Draco shrugged, walking towards the library. "Dunno, Potter. This should be interesting though."

"Harry," he growled.

"What?" Draco asked quizzically.

"Call me Harry. I'm sick of Potter." Harry muttered.

"Harry," Draco repeated, tasting the name almost. "Nah, I like Potter better."

"Fine. I'll just keep calling you Malfoy."

"For fucks sake," Draco hissed, turning into the library, "fine, Harry, Potter, whatever, I don't give a damn." He growled as he reached the table where Hermione, Alissa, Neville, Luna and Ginny sat, each reading books. "Lets round up whatever students are still around and all meet in the...Gryffindor Common Room. We are going to be planning something." He told them, walking away before they could ask anything. "Come on, Harry, help me round up students!" Draco called back to Harry.

**...**

**December 8th, Gryffindor Common Room, 6:10 PM**

...

"Are you going to tell us why we're here or not?" Cho Chang asked from where she sat on one of the couches in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Right. Dumbledore asked us to plan a Christmas Eve ball." Harry announced. Instantly, the common room exploded with excited chatter between mainly the girls, all whispering and giggling excitedly.

"Quiet and let us speak!" Draco's voice instantly quieted the Common Room, and they looked at him expectantly. "We need some sort of theme, and no, it has to be other then a Christmas theme, Alissa, so put your hand down." The brunette instantly lowered her hand. "Any ideas?"

"Dark hearts!"

"Masquerade!"

"Black and White!"

"This isn't a wedding, Cho!" Alissa snapped over the noise.

"Silver and gold?" Everyone quieted down when they realized Luna had spoken up. Quiet "oohh's" came from many of the people in the room. "That would look so pretty!" "Imagine the Great Hall in all silver and gold..."

_'What do you think?'_ Draco hissed to Harry.

_'It sounds fine to me. I'm not exactly a expert ball planner though.'_

"It's settled then! Silver and gold and your clothes must have something that is one of those colors. Or both if you wish," Draco added.

"Now that that's settled, can you please get out of our dorm!?" Ginny yelped. "We don't need a bunch of lovestruck girls in here!"

"You just want to shag Neville!" Someone called (suspiciously sounding like Alissa).

"ALISSA!" Another voice shouted (which sounded very much like Hermione), earning a bout of laughs from the room, except for Ginny and Neville, who looked like they invented a new shade of red.

"All right, all right!" Draco yelped, holding in another bout of laughter. It felt good to laugh, he felt like he hadn't in so long..."everyone leave so Neville and Ginny can have their cuddle time!" Which left the room in another fit of laughter as they left the Gryffindor tower before Ginny could practice her best Molly Weasley stance on them.

"Priceless! Utterly priceless Draco!" Harry howled as they walked down the stairs. He looked up at Draco and smiled at him.

Draco's heart did a strange flutter at the smile Harry gave him, and gave a slight smile back. "I think they both invented a new shade of red." He snorted.

"Ginny was about to go full on Molly Weasley on us!" Harry added.

Draco nodded, "don't want to make a Weasley mad!" He agreed.

"So, who are you going to take to the ball? I mean, I know it's not for sixteen days, but who where you planning to take?" Harry asked.

_**You.**_ "Um...I don't know," Draco shrugged.

"Me neither. Maybe I'll ask Cho..." Draco's heart hurt so bad at that. "Ginny'll probably go with Neville. Maybe Luna, she's sweet."

Draco nodded, turning his head slightly, hiding his frown from view. "Luna's clever, even if she is a bit...loony." He agreed softly as they approached the dungeons. He could hear Hermione and Alissa behind them as Draco and Harry slipped into the Common Room.

**...**

**December 8th, Fifth year Boy's Dorm, 9:04 PM**

...

"You're awful quiet, Draco." Harry commented, pulling his black sweatshirt on.

"And?"

"I'm fucking worried about you, ok? Is that such a crime? I can't forget that letter last night, or how upset you were."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Draco muttered.

"You fucking do. Don't lie to me." Harry snapped.

"I had a moment of weakness last night, alright? Nothing happened, we aren't talking about it." Draco hissed, sinking onto his bed.

"What are you so scared of, Draco? What scares you so much you can't accept help?" Harry asked softly, but Draco only stared at his hands in his lap for several moments.

"So much, Harry. So fucking much scares me," Draco gave a huff of a laugh despite himself.

Harry frowned, tilting his head slightly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Draco snorted, as if not quiet believing him. He shrunk down in his black long sleeve, his pale skin and hair seeming to glow against the dark fabric. "Have you ever wanted something so bad," he started, drawing his gaze up to meet Harry's, "that it hurts? Something you know you can't have but want so fucking badly?"

"What do you want?"

"That's not what I asked, Potter."

Harry sighed, and shrugged, "I dunno. I have friends, a guardian, food, a roof over my head. What else could I ask for?"

Draco looked startled. _**That's all he ask's for? Family, food and a roof over his head?**_ It startled him how little the raven-haired boy needed to be happy.

"What about you? You wouldn't have asked that question if you didn't have what you wanted."

Draco's heart thundered against his chest, his palms suddenly very sweaty, "I...I don't know. I mean...I can't tell you." _**You! Fucking Merlin, I want you, Harry!**_

"Malfoy." Harry stood up and came over to him, sitting next to him, "you can trust me. Sometimes it's better to talk about it rather then hide it."

Draco stared at him for what seemed like a millennia (though really it was only a few moments), his breathing uneven, heart thumping against his chest so loud he swore Harry could hear it. He knew it was so wrong, he knew his father would Crucio him so bad, he knew Harry would hate him, but he wanted it so fucking bad. Draco suddenly stood up, pulling Harry with him, "Draco what the–" Draco silenced Harry by smashing his lips against his without taking even a second to second guess his decision. Harry's lips were incredibly soft, and he tasted like...mint. He tasted so damn delicious. Draco pulled away as soon as he felt Harry get over the shock and started to struggle. Draco's heart roared to life, pounding his ribcage with its hooves violently. They stared at each other for a heartbeat, before Draco snatched his wand off the bed, and closed the curtains, closing Harry out, for collapsing on his bed, horrified with what he had done.

...

Please review!

Do you think Draco will ask Harry to the ball? What do you think Harry's reaction would be if he did? Or will Draco back out and not ask Harry at all? Who did you think was going to make a move first before this chapter?


	8. Chapter 7– I can't Hide it Forever

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and followed! I cannot tell you how much I love reviews, I love to know what people think!

**...**

**December 24th, Hogwarts Library, 3:01 PM**

**...**

It wasn't usual for the young Chosen One to brood or sulk, but when he did, it was because something was really bothering him. 15 days. 14 days. 13. 12. 11. 10. 9. Now only a few hours until the ball. Sixteen days since Draco and Harry had had a interaction. Harry remembered the kiss as if it had just happened. It was sudden, and, if Harry was going to be honest, beautifully searing. But what the young Gryffindor turned Slytherin didn't understand, was why Draco had kissed him. The Slytherin Prince had never given any warning that he had any feelings of that sort towards Harry, nor did Harry even think Draco liked boys. Harry sank into the chair at the library table, listening to Luna, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Alissa chatter excitedly. What if Draco actually doesn't like boys? What if it was just...because? Those where questions the Chosen One couldn't answer. Or Draco, as it seemed. The blonde had been ignoring and avoiding Harry ever since that night, refusing to join the Gryffindor/Slytherin group at dinner, lunch and breakfast and even in the library he avoided them. But Harry could always feel Draco...watching. Even if it was just a stolen glance.

Harry let out a long sigh. _**Do I love boys? I...no... **_He had always been taught that boys loved girls and girls loved boy, romantically anyway. That's what the Dursley's had always said. _**At least, I don't think so..**_. The question confused the young Slytherin. He had never even thought about kissing another male before. Scratch that, he hadn't really thought about kissing at all. Sure, there was that one time with Cho Chang, but other then that...

"Harry, what's wrong?" Neville's voice broke into Harry's thoughts, sounding concerned.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing. Just thinking," Harry muttered, the tips of his fingers hitting the wood of the tabletop rhythmically.

"Where is Draco? I haven't seen him for a few days." Neville asked hesitantly.

"You just realized he's gone now?! What caring friends you guys are." Harry snapped, standing up instantly. "I need to find him and get the Great Hall ready. Remember, the Christmas Eve ball starts at six." He snapped, before storming off.

Huffing, Harry threw pushed over the doors of the Great Hall, only to find Draco was already there. The Hall was _gorgeous_, the giant tree at the very back of the Hall already fully decorated and glowing. Silver and gold decor lined the walls, and the tables had disappeared. "I never knew you had such a knack for designing a ball room." He commented, in awe as he glanced around the silver and gold decorated room.

Draco flinched, whirling around to face Harry, looking very uneasy. "My mother used to hold Christmas parties all the time when I was young," he murmured.

"She doesn't anymore?" Harry asked quietly, coming closer to Draco. Draco shook his head, shrugging. "She just stopped one year. She never told me why," he flicked his wand, the last glittering silver strand setting itself in place along the hall.

Harry winced, a pang in his chest. Draco just looked so...empty. Afraid. Broken. "If I try to talk to you, are you just going to run away again?"

"Probably." Draco muttered honestly.

"Can we please talk? I just want answers." Harry pleaded. Draco was silent, but didn't move away. "Why...did you...k-kiss me?"

Draco flinched, taking a step back, "I-I don't know! I...I didn't mean to...I..."

"It's alright, Draco." He murmured, reaching a hand out and rested his hand on Draco's shoulder, but instantly retracted it when Draco flinched violently. He expected to be mad at the blonde, but something in him just couldn't bring itself to yell at the cowering boy before him. Even though Draco was a little less then a head taller then Harry, he seemed very small now.

Draco looked like he wanted to respond, but suddenly jerked away from Harry, and took off out of the Great Hall, his footsteps fading quickly.

Harry sank to his knees in a heap of black robes. "Why? Why can't we just talk?"

**...**

**December 24th, Slytherin Common Room, 5:40 PM**

**...**

Draco heard him. He heard Harry rummaging through his trunk in search of his dress robes. Even through the thick green and silver curtains hiding him from view, Draco could feel Harry glancing at his bed every few minutes.

He was horrified. He hadn't meant to kiss Harry. He hated himself for doing it. He hated himself for even liking the Gryffindor turned Slytherin even a little bit.

"Draco," he heard Harry murmur, "I'm not mad at you. Nor am I going to judge you for who you like." There was a pause, a ruffle of clothes, and a long, exhausted sigh. "I've realized you aren't as mean as I thought you were. And I've come to respect you. Maybe we aren't best friends and maybe we never will be, but...just remember that I won't judge you for the actions you made that night." When Draco was silent, Harry stood up and headed toward the door, and paused for a heartbeat. "You don't have to come to the party. But know that we sure as hell will miss you there, Alissa, Hermione and I."

And the footsteps resumed, before vanishing like mist in the morning sun and left a vulnerable and hurting dragon behind.

**...**

**December 24th, The Great Hall (The Christmas Eve party), 6:40 PM**

**...**

Harry sat at a table with Ginny and Neville, watching Hermione and Alissa (who had gone to the party as friends) attempt to dance to a song of the Weird Sisters, but failing miserably. It was a amusing sight, but to the Chosen One who had one to many problems going through his head (and his dance partner had ditched him), it wasn't as funny.

His head turned as a door of the Hall opened, revealing a certain blonde haired boy. Harry had to snap his jaw closed when he saw him.

If Harry had never thought of a male as drop dead...gorgeous? Handsome? Hot? He did now.

Dressed head to toe in black dress robes, except for the silver snake embroidered on the front, Draco's hair and skin seemed to glow against the dark contrast. The Slytherin nervously vanished behind a group of people, and wasn't seen by Harry for a long time.

Until almost two hours later when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He flinched, turning to see who it was. The breath in his lungs left him for several seconds before he had regained himself. "You came," he murmured.

Draco shrugged, staring at his feet. "Guess I did." He muttered softly, eyes drifting to the massive pine tree at the very back of the Hall, and then to the middle of the Hall, where Ginny, Neville, Hermione, Alissa and a few people he didn't recognize, were having the time of there life dancing (and Draco was surprised at how talented Neville was at dancing). On impulse, he made the worse decision. "Potter...do you...want...um...to...Er...uh..." He panicked, backing away. _**Bad idea, bad idea! **_"Never mind. I'm just...leaving," he snapped, turning to leave. But Harry was quicker, snatching his wrist. Draco froze, the same electric like feeling tingling up his arm and through his whole body, the other boys skin almost searing.

"What? Stop avoiding me, what?"

"Dancewithme." He mumbled, his hand trembling against Harry's palm.

"I can't dance." Harry responded blankly, quite frankly dumbfounded.

Draco gave a soft "oh..." And attempted to pull away, but Harry held him tightly. "But you could teach me."

"What?"

"You said your mother used to hold Christmas parties when you where young. You must know how to dance...better then me anyway. Teach me." Harry murmured, tugging him slightly.

"I–Er–really?" Draco followed, almost tripping. _**He's barking. He doesn't really want...fuck this shit!**_

"Teach me!" Harry barked, pulling Draco to the center before turning around to face him. Draco's heart did the biggest fucking flutter he had ever felt at the smile Harry gave him.

"But...why?" He hissed, shrinking under the gazes of some people who stared.

"Just teach me. You asked in the first place, you bloody prat. So teach me how to dance."

There was a pause in the music, when suddenly a gorgeous song Draco knew very well started playing. Many people dragged their partners to the center of the room. "Put one hand on my shoulder."

"What?" "You asked me to teach you, so do it." Draco hissed. Harry raised a hand, and hesitantly put it on his shoulder. He flinched when Draco's hand rested on his waist.

"Take my hand," Draco murmured, reaching out his free hand. Harry took it slowly, sending the same jolting feeling into Draco's chest. "Just follow my steps, I'll lead you, I promise." He murmured, pulling Harry slightly to the right.

Harry stared at his feet, trying to follow Draco's steps exactly (but failing as he kept stumbling), He could see other people around him out of the corner of his eye, especially Ginny and Neville who somehow seemed to be professional dancers all the sudden.

"Potter." Draco hissed, his heart racing. He knew this song all to well, and the dance that went with it. "Look at me! Stop staring at your feet. I won't let you trip."

Harry instantly looked up at Draco, his green eyes locking with the brilliant silver, his breath catching in his throat.

"Trust me?"

"I trust you." Harry murmured.

"Good, let go of my shoulder!" Draco urged, removing his hand from Harry's waist.

"Ok, but wh–" The second Harry's hand had left Draco's shoulder, he was cut off. Draco pulled him slightly, spinning Harry in a light circle, eliciting a yelp from Harry.

"Easy," Draco soothed, his hand going back to Harry's waist, and Harry's hand to Draco's shoulder.

They continued the same steps (one, two, three, one, two three, spin) for several moments, before the music suddenly took a drastic turn, raising in volume and intensity.

"Put both your hands on my shoulders," Draco instructed, spinning the two of them with surprising grace, both his hands going to Harry's waist.

Harry tentatively put his free hand on Draco's shoulder, looking at the taller boy in confusion. "Draco..." He hissed as he saw the other couples do it to. "What are you–"

"Trust me, Harry! Please!" Harry couldn't ignore the pleading in those gorgeous silver orbs, or the shrillness of desperation in the boys voice, so he gave a tense nod. Then suddenly, at the very peak of the music, he no longer felt ground beneath his feet. He yelped when he suddenly realized Draco had lifted him off the ground in unison with the other people dancing, and gently lowered him back down, instantly taking Harry's hand back. Harry dumbly followed Draco, eyes locked with his. It was so exhilarating, the thrill of the music, the thrill as Draco whispered for him to put his hand back on his shoulder as he once again lifted him in the air in unison with the rest of the group.

_**I can't deny it...I think I might be falling for him. But...I don't...like...boys?**_

Suddenly the music started slowing, and Draco's voice broke into his thoughts, "do you trust me?" He panted, pulling Harry in a twirl.

"Thought we already established that?" Harry muttered.

"I won't let you fall, I promise." Draco murmured, and before Harry could ask what he meant, he felt Draco push him slightly, before catching him instantly, leaning him into a slightly clumsy dip (but a graceful one to anyone watching without close attention) at the very last note of the music.

Draco held him there for a few moments, silver eyes locked with green, when suddenly a earsplitting wave of clapping overwhelmed them. As Draco slowly pulled Harry back to his feet, he realized everyone had turned to see them, some looking on with disgust and disapproval, others seeming to melt as if the two where the cutest things ever.

Harry let go of Draco, taking a shaky step back, his head down as his face flushed red. He looked up pass the locks of hair that fell across his face, and smiled shyly at Draco. He looked as if he wanted to speak, before Hermione and Alissa ran up to them, Hermione looking ecstatic. "I didn't know you guys could dance that well!" She exclaimed.

"I...can't." Harry muttered, shifting his weight to one foot. "It should all go to Draco, I would have looked like a fool if I had tried without him," he murmured, his long, dark lashes fluttering across his cheekbones as he glanced at Draco again, who look not only embarrassed but very uneasy. _'Breathe. No one is going to hurt you.'_

Draco flinched at Harry's hisses, peeling his gaze away from a very angry Alissa to Harry. About to say something back, he was cut off as Alissa dragged him to the edge of the crowd.

"Never in my life–" she hissed. "Do you realize how blatant you were?!" Her hands went to her hips, and Draco could have sworn in that moment she had turned into a Weasley.

"What are you talking about?" He glanced back to the center of the Hall, only to find that Hermione and Harry had disappeared.

"A blind man without hearing could see it, Dray! There's something...between you two. It's so blatantly obvious now! Do you know what that means?!" Alissa looked panicked, her crystal blue eyes wide.

"Oh no...oh fuck..." Draco whimpered, suddenly taking a step back, "what if he finds out?"

"Do you still love Harry, Draco? I need to know."

Draco swallowed hard, searching for the raven haired boy, before looking back at Alissa. "More then fucking ever," he whispered, and suddenly Alissa took off in a blur.

He pushed his way back into the crowd, and saw Harry and Hermione at a table with Neville and Ginny. He slunk over to them slowly, sinking into the spot beside Hermione, not daring to look at Harry.

"Malfoy? What's wrong?" Hermione tapped him on the shoulder, alerting the blonde of her presence.

"Nothing," he growled, refusing to look at her. "It's not your business to know."

She placed a hand lightly on his shoulder in reassurance, but didn't press him more, instead listened to Ginny chattering excitedly.

After a while, and many stolen glances between Harry and Draco, Draco stood up, and swept past Hermione, Ginny and Harry.

"Malfoy, wait. We need to return the Hall to normal after everyone leaves." Harry murmured.

"I already asked a few of the house elves to do that," Draco muttered, leaving Hermione very triggered.

"Alright...are you going back to the Common Room?" Harry asked softly, earning a tense nod from the blonde. "Mione? Want to call it good for tonight?"

She stood up, nodding. "I'm thoroughly exhausted," Hermione mused.

Draco jerked his head to the front of the Hall, "lets go then." He growled, sweeping out of the Hall.

"Where is Alissa?" Harry caught up to Draco, Hermione not to far behind.

"How should I know?" Draco snapped.

"What is your problem?! I don't know what's going on with you lately, why don't you just talk to me?!" Harry snarled, a bitter harshness to his tone that hadn't been there before.

Draco flinched away from him, his suddenly tense posture indicating the cold tone seemed to scare him. He glanced at Harry, before just taking off down the corridor.

"I don't understand..." Harry whimpered, stopping in his tracks.

"Give him time, Harry." Hermione murmured, coming to a halt beside him.

"What do you know that I don't?" Harry looked at her curiously.

"Stuff that I'm not going to say. Draco can tell you himself. Lets go, Alissa and Draco are probably back at the Common Room by now."

Upon arriving at the Slytherin Common Room, they found it was completely empty, not a sign that anyone had been in it, for even the fire was growing dull. Harry raced upstairs, almost tripping over his robes as he came into the boys dormitory. Empty. Or so he thought. Draco's bed curtains where pulled around the bed, hiding him from view.

Harry quickly changed, and had settled on leaving Draco alone for the night, but when he heard muffled sobs coming from the other boys bed, he crept over, opening the curtains of Draco's bed slowly. "Draco..."

"Leave me alone, Harry," he hissed, hiding his face from view.

"I'm not just going to let you suffer alone." Harry whispered, drawing himself up onto the bed, and wrapping his arms around the fellow Slytherin. "It's alright, Draco." He murmured. In turn, the blonde turned around, burying his head against Harry's neck, unable to keep the sobs silent anymore.

...

"Lissa? What are you doing?"

"Draco's in trouble. He's in so much trouble, Hermione. I'm so scared. Lucius is going to murder him, I know he is."

"What?"

"Word is going out in the Daily Prophet about Harry and Draco as we speak, Mione. Lucius'll kill them, I know he will."

"Lissa."

"Yes?"

"I need to talk to you. About Ronald. I think it will help us with Harry, Draco, and Lucius."


	9. Chapter 8— Teachers, Death Eaters, & OTP

And everything gets increasingly darker from here lol. Enjoy and review!

also, im sorry if towards the end it seems a llittle rushed!

**...**

**December 25th, Slytherin Boys Dormitory's, 8:30 AM**

**...**

If Draco were to be completely honest with himself, the previous night had been the most insane Christmas Eve he had experienced in his entire fifteen/sixteen years of life. Frankly, he didn't quite remember much after Harry had found him in a sobbing mess on his bed.

His silver eyes flickered open as he regained full consciousness, but instantly tensed. He was curled up by someone, a hand resting against his side. The body in front of his was so warm, the soft rise and fall of the persons chest was comforting as he sank deeper into the embrace. Then he realized he hadn't a clue who the person was. He lifted his head slightly, and was met by a pair of gorgeous emerald green eyes. Panic instantly flooded him, and he wrenched himself from Harry's grasp, jerking upright. He stared at the just waking form below him in horror. "What–when–the hell?" He rasped almost incoherently.

...

Now, if Harry was going to be completely honest, he had never experienced a more bizarre Christmas Eve in his life. His last memory before sleep flooded him was Draco, writhing and sobbing, whimpering about his father and how much something hurt. He had been barely coherent, sure, but the words must have meant something...

He sat up slowly, coming face to face with the panicked Draco in front of him. He reached out of the curtains, snatching his glasses and settling them on his face. "Last night." He croaked. "When I came back, you where having some sort of conscious nightmare. You wouldn't let me leave, not that I was going to leave you in that state."

A dusting of red instantly crossed the pale boys face, the only color Harry had seen on the blonde face all year. "I'm sorry." He murmured, staring at his hands in his lap.

"Don't be. I understand," Harry murmured, raising a hand and brushing a strand of pale white hair from Draco's face, startling him.

"Y-you do?" He asked hesitantly as Harry's hand left his face.

"Mhm," Harry mused, "it's scary. And you can't do anything about it."

"Is it because of..." Draco brushed Harry's hair from his forehead, revealing the pale, lightning bolt shaped scar. "...this?"

Harry nodded slowly, looking up at Draco earnestly. "Come with me. I have something for you."

**...**

**December 25th, Slytherin Girls Dormitory's, 1:00 am, previous night**

**...**

"He left scars, Lissa. Look..." Hermione twisted around, pulling her shirt over her head, revealing two scars in a X across her back. She turn back to the brunette, pulling the shirt over her head again. "It's a forbidden, curse, Issa, and that's why I think he's working for Voldemort."

"Weasley did that?" Alissa whispered, breathless. "But...why?"

Oh, that word. That word that so many people asked, but never knew how powerful it was. A single word that could unlock so many secrets, so much information in a singular person alone.

Hermione heaved her shoulders in a shrug, shaking her head. "I've asked that to myself so many times, but I could never come to a conclusion. That's why I asked Dumbledore to switch Harry and I's house. I was horrified that Ronald would try to hurt one of us in our sleep. Of course, I never expected to be sorted into Slytherin, but truly...it's amazing. Anyway..."

**...**

**December 25th, Slytherin Boys Dormitory's, 8 something am**

**...**

"Harry, no...what are you doing?" Draco craned his head slightly to watch as Harry struggled to pull something from under his bed.

"Hang...on!" Harry hissed, and with a crinkle of paper, he pulled something out from under the bed, settling it on top of his bed. "Open it. And don't say no."

Draco tentatively opened the paper, gasping softly. Inside we're four books, all of which Draco knew were incredibly expensive. Two Potions books and two Defense Against The Dark Arts books. "Harry..." He looked at the other Slytherin, "these are so expensive...I can't take these."

"You're insane. They're yours! I want you to have them. Please."

"You...really, really are the best. Thank you...I...don't deserve these, at all, but...thank you."

"Oh, don't. Shush. You do deserve them, so shut the hell up." Harry growled.

"Yeah, yeah." Draco lifted the books and went over, settling them beside his trunk. He opened the trunk, pulled something out, wrapped in a silver silk cloth. "I want you...to have this." He stood up slowly, and walked back over to Harry, gently placing the item in his hands. "I know we are Wizards, and we normally wouldn't use these sorts of things, but this...is different."

Harry unwrapped the cloth, settling it on his bed. It was a dagger, red and golden gems lining the handle, the blade a brilliant bright silver.

"This is incredibly powerful. This came from someone very close to me, someone who was a Slytherin with the heart of a Gryffindor. This dagger...if you are ever in trouble it will find its way to you, one way or another. It's more powerful then any spell that isn't forbidden."

Harry smiled, studying the dagger, "it's gorgeous. It truly is. I love it..." He breathed, meeting Draco's gaze.

Harry watched with a smile as Parvati flew the paper bird around the room, wincing when Theodore Nott hit the bird. It flew around the room, and suddenly burst into flames, falling into a pile on Parvati's desk.

"Good morning, children."

Harry glared as he saw their new DADA teacher come up the aisle between the desks. Dressed head to toe in pink was the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic, Professor Dolores Umbridge. Harry knew from the moment he saw her, he hated her.

"Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations! O. ! Most commonly known as Owls!" She squealed, her voice like a piglets when it was chased. She came to the front of the classroom, writing her words on the blackboard. "Study hard, and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, the consequences will be...severe." She added with a smile that disgusted Harry. He glanced at Draco, before looking back to the teacher.

She flicked her wand, and the pile of books flew down the aisle, spreading out to each of the students. "Your previous instructions on the subject have been disturbingly uneven. But you will be pleased to know you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry approved course for defensive magic." She looked over at Hermione, who had raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"There's...nothing in here about using spells?"

"Using spells?" She gave a high pitched, squealing laugh that made both Harry and Draco wince. "I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom!"

Harry's eyebrows shot up, and he exchanged at glance with Draco.

"We're not going to be using magic?" Draco growled, leaning against Harry to get a better look at their teacher.

"You will be leaning about defensive spells in a secure, risk free way."

"What good is that?! If we are going to be attacked it's not going to be 'risk free'." Harry snapped. He felt Draco rest his hand against Harry's forearm gently. _'Breathe, Potter.'_

"Students will raise their hand when they speak in my class! And Mr. Malfoy, enough of that hideous language." She went to the front of the classroom, and turned to them. "It is to the view of the Ministry, that theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all is what school is all about!" She said all this with the most disgusting and wide smile Harry had ever seen.

"And how the hell is theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?!" Harry hissed.

"There is nothing out there, dear," she whistled, "who do you imagine would want to attack children, like yourself?"

It was Draco's turn now. "Oh, I don't know, maybe...Lord Voldemort?" Heads turned to look away from him, except for Harry to looked at Draco, and gave the slightest of nods.

Whispers filled the room. Harry leaned into Draco slightly.

Umbridge's smile turned into one of unease as she came towards them. "Now, let me make this very plain. You have been told, that a certain Dark Wizard is at large once again." She looked directly at Draco and Harry, and said very, very slowly. "This. Is. A. Lie."

"It's not a lie! I saw him! For Merlin's sake, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" Umbridge squealed.

"So according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead on his own accord?!"

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident!" She snarled.

"It was murder! Voldemort killed him, you must know that!" Harry's voice rose, and he ripped his arm from Draco's grasp.

"ENOUGH!" She shrieked in her high pitched squealing voice, the classroom instantly quieting down. "Enough...you'll see me later, Mr. Potter, my office," she gave a squeaky laugh, "class dismissed."

**...**

**Malfoy Manor, 3 AM**

**...**

"Yesssssss, very good, Draco." The hissing, cold voice chilled Draco to the bone as he arrived at the Manor. Voldemort. He had summoned all Death Eaters to the Manor. He spotted his mother sitting in her chair at the table, watching him silently.

"Get him, Luciusssssss." Voldemort hissed, Bellatrix leaning against his chair with a wicked grin on her gaunt face.

Lucius strode forward, snatching Draco by the collar. "Stupid boy. Thinking you could run away? Did you think I wouldn't see the Daily Prophet? You and the Potter boy! How dare you..." He snarled. He suddenly raised a hand, and planted a stinging slap to Draco's face, much to Bellatrix's joy. He whimpered, struggling to back away from his father, but he held him tight.

"Crucio him, Luciusssssss," Voldemort hissed. Bellatrix let out a high pitched scream of laughter, "Master, Master please let me Crucio the boy!" She shrieked, eyes wild with delight, "let me please you, Master, let me Crucio the boy, please!"

"I promissssse you will have the Mudblood ssssoon, Bellatrix. Jusssst wait, my dear." He hissed softly, nodding to Lucius. "Crucio him."

Draco knew better then to resist. He knew better. He knew it would just hurt more. His father let his collar go, and within a second, his fathers hissing voice uttered the curse, and Draco dropped, writhing violently. He couldn't even describe the amount of pain that gripped his body. He tried to scream, he tried to call for someone, but found his couldn't, he couldn't speak at all. His throat was dry and it closed on him, and he was only able to choke out a few words: "I deserve this. I deserve this. I deserve this."

"Yessssss Draco, you dessssssserve thisssss." Voldemort hissed. "Harder, Luciussssss, make him ssssssscream."

Draco choked, another flood of unbearable pain gripped him. He couldn't see anything. He wasn't sure if he was blinded with pain, or his had his eyes shut, but all he could see was blackness.

"Harder, Lucius! Make the boy scream!" Bellatrix shrieked, whipping out her wand. "If you won't, I will! _**Crucio!"**_ Another jet of Crucio hit him. And this time he did scream. He sobbed, writhing and tried to bear the pain, tried to stay silent, tried to not let them get the best of him. But they did.

Finally, finally the pain stopped as they removed their wands. He lay in a trembling heap at Bellatrix's feet, his breathing ragged. A clatter of footsteps, and seconds later he felt his mothers hand against his shoulder. "It's alright, Draconis. Breathe. I won't let them hurt you again." _**Empty promises, you don't know that for sure, Mum.**_

"Harry has the knife," he choked, his eyes fluttering open.

"What?" She asked softly, leaning down slightly.

"Harry Potter...has...your...dagger now. It's his...don't let them hurt him..." He whispered, clutching his throat as if it hurt. "Give me pain...give it...don't let them hurt him...kill me if you want...don't let them hurt him."

"Harry Potter?" Narcissa asked softly, pushing strands of white hair from Draco's gaunt face, his eyes unfocused.

"Yes." He rasped. "They...know. He knows...Father. He knows I..." He broke off. He could see Voldemort, Bellatrix and Lucius by the table, not far off.

"Yes, dear. I know what you mean. I won't let them hurt either of you if I can help it."

"Move over, woman. Let me get to the child." Lucius snarled.

Narcissa stood, facing her husband. "I will not let you harm him again, Lucius!" She snapped.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You made the wrong choice, Cissy." Bellatrix cooed. _**"Avada Kedavra!"**_ She shrieked, the joy in her dark eyes unnerving. A jet of blinding green light shot from the tip of her wand, and hit Narcissa directly in the chest. Narcissa fell, landing with a heavy thud on the ground, motionless.

Draco sat up, and stared in horror. "You killed her..." He whispered. He stood up, pulling out his wand. "You...monster! Cr–"

_"Stupefy!"_ Voldemort struck Draco in the chest, throwing him backwards.

"Thank you...thank you Master." Bella cooed, shrinking into her beloveds arms.

Draco lay crumbled against the wall, motionless. He watched the scene play out before his eyes. His mother lay dead, motionless not to far away, Bellatrix curled in her Master's arms, and his father strode toward's Draco. "Imperio." His father whispered. "Kill the Potter boy."

"Draco, Draco wake up..."

...

Draco jerked awake, eyes wild with fear. Shaking and drenched with cold sweat, he sat up, coming face to face with Harry.

"Shhh, breathe. It was just a dream." Harry soothed.

"No...no it wasn't. He whipped me, I can feel it." He whimpered.

"Who whipped you?"

"Father. He whipped me. He had to of, I can feel it. On my back." Draco whispered.

"Can I look?" Harry asked softly. Draco gave a hesitant nod, twisted around and pulled away the shirt, revealing his back.

In the dim light, Harry could see, sure enough, three bleeding long marks crossed Draco's pale and bony back. But there where other marks to, just like the fresh ones, but pale pink, like healed scars. "Draco..." Harry whispered. "Morgana...Draco what...why? You need to tell Dumbledore about this..."

Draco whipped around to look at him. "No! No I can't! He'll kill her...father will kill her..." He whispered.

"Kill who?" Harry asked softly.

"Mother. Narcissa. You can't tell anyone, Harry please. Please, please I'm begging you, don't tell. Please..." Draco gnawed his bottom lip, staring at Harry pleadingly.

"Draco. I have to." Harry murmured. "There is so much I have to tell Dumbledore. Your father...he gave you those marks?"

"And Bellatrix." Draco whimpered. "Harry listen. When you where in detention, Alissa told me stuff that Hermione had said about Weasley. He used a curse on her, Sectumsempra. Lissa said it left scars, and...and Hermione thinks that Weasley is working for Voldemort. If we can keep quite about my Father and Weasley, we can get to the bottom of this. That's why Hermione wanted your houses switched, because she was scared to–wait, can Nott, Goyle and Crabbe here us?" He hissed.

"No. But wait...Ron? He...Working for Voldemort? No...that...that's not possible...why?"

"Money, possibly. Weasley wants nothing but money, and Voldemort might be offering him that..." Draco said softly. "But please, Harry. Don't tell anyone, please. We can get to the bottom of all this if you just keep quiet."

Harry swallowed hard. He realized how frail Draco looked, his bare shoulders trembling, how skinny he looked. It was sickening. His thoughts drifted to what Draco was saying, a frown on his face. _**Ron...working for Voldemort. Impossible...right? Ron would never! Never ever! And hurt Mione? No...no...this isn't right. Something's wrong here.**_ "Draco you're being abused. How did you even get those marks, if Lucius wasn't here?"

"Please, Harry, stop asking questions. I don't want to answer them...if I answer one I can't stop...just don't tell anyone..."

Harry let out a long sighed, contemplating. "On one accord. Do you have the Dark Mark?"

Draco hesitated, and then pulled his sweat drenched shirt off, throwing it on the ground. Sure enough, on his left forearm was the snake and skull mark. "Harry, I don't want to be a Death Eater. You understand that, right? You understand I don't want to follow him, I never wanted any of this. I don't...I just..."

Harry winced when he saw the mark that had been branded on Draco's arm. "Shh, I understand. You aren't a Death Eater, Draco. Not if you don't want to be one." He shifted closer, wrapping his arms around Draco's shaking figure. "It's going to be ok." He whispered.

"Thank you, Gods, thank you." Draco whimpered, falling into the embrace weakly. "For everything, Harry, thank you." The only thing that Draco didn't notice, was the mark on Harry's hand.

_**'I must not tell lies.'**_

**...**

**December 3rd, Number 12 Grimmauld Place/Order of The Phoenix Headquarters, 7 PM**

**...**

"A letter, from Sirius. Lissa...should we? Tell Harry and Draco, I mean? About OTP?" Hermione asked softly, scanning the letter.

"Sirius wants him there...it's the weekend anyway, so no classes. We should take them there." Alissa murmured.

...

"I still don't understand!" Somehow, Harry and Draco had been dragged out of bed by Hermione and Alissa, and now where flying across a river in London on broomsticks. Confusing, surely, even more so when he had barely any sleep and not a clue where they where going.

"Trust us!" Alissa howled, flying forward sharply, and took a suddenly turn into a park, followed by the other three.

"Quite frankly, Issa, I don't think we should trust you!" Draco snapped as they landed in a abandoned park, and Alissa stashed their brooms under a bush.

"Just trust us, please." Hermione hissed, leading them up to a gate. "Alohomara." She whispered, and the gate flung open. They approached what seemed to be a normal, Muggle apartment complex.

"Hermione, where are we?" Draco hissed, the exhaustion pulling at his voice incredibly noticeable.

"Just wait..." Hermione stamped her foot against the ground four times, when suddenly, the building split apart, stretching, revealing more and more building, the Muggles seemingly oblivious to this.

"Come on you two, this is Number 12 Grimmauld Place, also known as the Order of The Phoenix Headquarters." Hermione informed them as she lead them inside.

"Order of The Phoenix?" Draco mumbled to Harry.

"I'm as lost as you are." Harry replied softly.

It was dark, and dingy inside as Hermione and Alissa led them down a hallway. Harry heard voices from the room ahead, yet couldn't understand what they where saying. Hermione pushed open the door, and waved at the people inside.

"Stronger by the minute, Remus! We have to act now!"

Harry couldn't stop a grin forming on his face. Remus Lupin, Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, Sirius Black, Molly Weasley...he recognized all but a few faces. They abruptly stopped talking as he and Draco appeared, and suddenly Molly Weasley blocked their few, shutting the door. "Harry, dear. Oh, yes Draco, hello dear." She approached Harry with wide arms, hugging him.

"Mrs. Weasley..." He gasped softly.

"I'm so glad you're alright. I'm afraid dinner will have to wait until after the meeting is finished. Straight upstairs, first door on this left."

"But—"

"Nope, up you go, boys." She coaxed, before heading back into the kitchen.

Draco followed Harry upstairs numbly, staring at the walls. "What the hell is this place?" He breathed softly as they passed a very old looking house elf, muttering to himself.

"I don't know..."

They went inside the room, finding Hermione and Alissa. "How the hell?! You where...I give up." Draco groaned.

"Where the fuck are we?!" Harry snapped. "Why is Sirius here? Remus? Moody? Molly? I don't understand!"

"These people, Harry, they are members of The Order of The Phoenix. A organization Dumbledore created." Hermione murmured. "It's been around since your parents time. They are talking about how the Ministry is oblivious to Voldemort's return."

"Why the hell wasn't I told about this?! I am the one who saw Cedric Diggory get killed! I'm the one to saw Voldemort resurrected or whatever the fuck happened! I should have been told!" Harry was loosing his temper. Between Umbridge, people not believing him about Cedric and Voldemort, Draco's dreams and his Father, and now this...

"Harry," Harry and Draco both jumped when Fred and George Weasley Appareted right beside them. "Thought we heard your dulcet tones." "Don't bottle it up though, mate." "Let it out."

Draco rolled his eyes, sinking onto the bed. "For Merlin's sake..."

"Anyway, if you are all done shouting." "Want to hear something a little more interesting?"

...

Now Harry, Draco, Hermione, Alissa, Fred and George where leaning over the staircase, hanging a listening ear off a rope by the door downstairs.

"If it wasn't for Harry..."

"He's not a adult either. He's not James, Sirius!"

"He's not your son!"

There where only snippets Harry could hear, and he didn't like the sound of them. Draco was tense beside him from the yelling.

"Who else has he got?"

"He's got me."

"How touching, Black, maybe Potter will grow up to be a felon just like his Godfather."

"Stay out of this Snivelus. I don't care what Dumbledore says about your supposed reformation, I know better."

Harry winced. Snape, Molly, Sirius, they where all fighting. "Snape's part of the Order?" Harry looked up at Alissa for a brief moment.

"Git." Was all she said.

Suddenly, Crookshanks was down the stairs and attacking the ear. "Crookshanks, no!" Hermione snarled in a low whispered, George frantically trying to pull the ear away from the cat.

"Hermione your bloody cat!"

"Leave it alone, Crookshanks!"

Nope. The orange Persian ripped the ear from the string, and trotted off with it, his head held high with his prize.

"Bad Crookshanks!" Hermione hissed.

"Mione, I hate your cat." Draco hissed.

...

"Dinner!" Molly called, and everyone flooded downstairs, except for Fred and George Apparated down, and Molly yelped. "Just because you are allowed to use magic does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything!"

"Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter..." Came Sirius' voice.

Draco took a step back, snatching Harry by the arm, "Harry, Harry that's Sirius Black! He murdered people!" He hissed, attempting to pull Harry away.

"No, no, Draco, you have the story all wrong!" Harry pulled away from Draco, and flung himself into his Godfather's arms. "Sirius..." And behind his Godfather stood Remus Lupin. Harry smiled. "Remus!"

...

Draco found the Weasley's quite amusing, and another member of the Order, Nymphadora Tonks (whom you couldn't call Nymphadora or she'd go fiery on you.)

Ginny was giggling wildly at the faces that Tonks pulled, a hogs nose, a duck bill, and even Draco found it amusing. Even if he was under the glare of Mad-Eye Moody, whom had turned him into a ferret one year.

"He'd find out sooner or later, Kingsley, give him the paper." Sirius ordered.

Someone Harry didn't know handed him the Daily Prophet. A picture of him was the front page, with the headline **'THE BOY WHO LIES?' 'FUDGE: ALL IS WELL!'**

"He's been attacking Dumbledore as well," Sirius spoke up, "Fudge is using all his power, including his influence on The Daily Prophet, to smear anyone who claims the Dark Lord has returned."

"The Minister thinks Dumbledore is after his job." Remus concluded.

"They're calling Harry a liar?! Voldemort's back, I've seen him with my own eyes!" Draco snarled.

"That's insane! No one can be in their right mind to believe Dumbledore—" Harry started, but Remus cut him off.

"That's exactly the point, Fudge isn't in his right mind, it's been twisted and warped by fear." Remus paused, looking straight at Draco. "Now, fear makes people do terrible things, Harry. The last time the Dark Lord gained power, he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear. Now he's returned, I'm afraid the Minister will do almost anything to avoid facing them."

"We think Voldemort wants to build up his army again. Draco, you will be the main target for a new Death Eater, unless you've been branded already." Sirius added.

Draco pulled the sleeve of his shirt up slowly, revealing the skull and snake mark. "I don't want it, Black. I don't. I hate it. I–" Harry placed a hand on Draco's arm, giving him a reassuring look. '_It's alright. We, I, know you don't.'_

Sirius nodded to Draco, "fifteen years ago he had huge numbers at his command. And not just witches and wizards, but a matter of dark creatures. He's been recruiting heavily and we're attempting to do the same. But gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in. We believe Voldemort may be after something–"

"SIRIUS!" Moody snapped.

"–something he didn't have last time." Sirius finished.

"You mean...like...a weapon?" Draco murmured.

"NO! That is ENOUGH, Sirius! They are just boys! You say much more and you might as well put them in the Order straight away!" Molly stormed over, pulling the paper from Harry's grasp.

"Good!" Draco snapped.

"We want to fight!" Harry growled defiantly. "If Voldemort is raising a army then I want to fight."

"He already has a army, half a one anyway." Draco murmured.

"What do you mean?" Sirius looked very alert now.

"Bellatrix, Crabbe, Goyle, my Father. Just a few who are with him. I know. Because they are at my family's Manor."

...


	10. Chapter 9– He's the Only friend I Have

Review!

Warnings: MATURE RATING, Bellatrix discussing bloodlust with her "Master"

...

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me?!" Harry snarled, his cold, green glare fixated on Draco. He loved it. He loved seeing Draco cowering under his glare, the sheen of fear glittering in his silver eyes. He loved seeing the pale, skeletal hand trembling from where it clutched the table. Something in him loved it. Unexplained rage boiled in his veins, clawing at the inside of his ribcage, frantically trying to scramble out. Just seeing Draco, cowering, powerless, under his glare just fueled that rage. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me that there where Death Eater's at your manor?!"

"I'm sorry..." Draco's breath became uneven. He hated the look in Harry's eyes. That look he had seen once in a while, but never as flared up as this. He hated how he couldn't do anything but flinch and cower. "I thought...I thought you knew..."

"How would I know?! You're the one who lives there, not me!" Harry snarled.

"Harry, calm yourself. It's not Draco's fault." Remus snapped.

"Shut up!" Harry suddenly snapped, like lightning he whipped around to look at Remus. "I'm sick of the lies! The secrets! You–" he pointed accusingly at Hermione, "–have been hiding stuff about Ron from me! I know you have! You and you–" he hand whipped between Hermione and Alissa, "–told me nothing about this Order of The Phoenix, even though I'M the one who has defeated Voldemort not once, not twice, not three, but FOUR times! I watched Cedric die in front of me, I'm the one who witnessed Voldemort coming back to power, yet still no one tells me anything?!" He snapped his head back to look at Remus, his cold green glare unforgiving. "You! You lied to me about Sirius, and LEFT me alone at Hogwarts, when you where one of the only adults I trusted." He snapped his glare to Sirius. "You are supposed to be my Godfather, supposed to be there for me! But your letters are always the same nowadays! 'Oh Harry, just stay put and it'll sort itself out.' No! Fuck no! It's not going to sort itself out, Sirius, that's not the way life works!" He glared back down at Draco, who shrunk back in his chair under the enraged green glare. "You...oh, you," he gave a hollow, low, humorless laugh. "All I've tried to do is help you, I've tried so many times, but what do I get? Nothing! Not a explanation for why I wake up to your nightmares every night, not a explanation for the scars on your body, not a explanation for that letter, not a explanation to your feelings towards me! You have more insight on the Death Eaters and Voldemort then all of us put together! But you refuse to tell us anything what the hell are YOU SO SCARED OF?!" He paused, gasping for air. "I've tried, Malfoy. I've tried so damn hard to get you to trust me, but I feel like with every interaction I'm just taking steps backward instead of forward!" He whipped around, and stormed toward the door. "I'm done!" And he stormed from the kitchen, ignoring the screaming lady (who George said was Sirius' mother) and stormed up the stairs.

"Harry, wait!" Draco leapt from his chair, in a blur he raced to the door, but faltered when he realized Harry was already gone. "Don't leave me." He dropped his hand to his side, an aching feeling in his chest. Remus shoved past him to shut up Sirius' mother, but Tonks came up beside him. He flinched when she clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Give him time. He's frustrated now, he's upset no ones telling him what's going on."

Draco shook his head, glancing at her. "No, Tonks. He's not like this. He's never been this way before...something's wrong's... and I'm afraid..." He glanced back at Sirius and Molly, who where talking in hushed voices, and Hermione and Alissa, staring at the door in shock.

"What are you afraid of, Malfoy?" She tilted her head slightly.

"Bellatrix. My Father. Voldemort. They're all out to get him, Tonks. They want him dead. And that scar, the one Voldemort gave him when he was just a baby? He say's because of it he has nightmares, strange ones, of Cedric Diggory, snakes...I think it connects him to Voldemort. I...I don't know, it's confusing..." He met her gaze earnestly. "I just want to help him."

Nymphadora frowned, and let out a long sigh. "We all do, Draco. We all do..." She paused, pursing her lips in thought. "You really care a lot about him, don't you? I saw it, when he was yelling at you. You where scared, everyone could see that. But you weren't scared _of _him, you were scared _for_ him, weren't you?"

Draco gave a hesitant nod. "He's the only true friend I have." He said in a cracked whisper.

**...**

**January 3rd, Malfoy Manor, 9:00 PM**

**...**

"No!" Bella threw the object to the ground with a sudden, freak shriek. The glass shattered into a million pieces, and she turned her cold, dark eyes to the man before her. She had a look in her eyes, the same unnerving look that could make anyone freeze in their tracks. "I want to kill, Voldemort. I want to cause pain, I want to see them writhe, I want to hear them scream." She hissed, slinking towards her Master, and hooked a finger under his chin, staring into his deep red eyes. "Don't you understand? That's what I lust for. Pain."

"Bellatrix, we must wait." Voldemort rasped. "But I need–" he raised a finger, pressing it lightly to her full lips. "I know you need it, Bella my love. I know. But we must wait."

"I want the boys blood! Draco and Potter...I want their blood." She hissed. She slapped his hand away from her face and attacked his chest with her claw like nails. She pushed him back, hands pressed to his chest. "Tell me I can go after them." She hissed, digging her nails deep into his chest.

"Bella," he hissed, snatching her shoulders and pushing her off of him. "Don't make me punish you. You cannot, Bella."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" She shrieked, hair askew.

"It's cute. You're my little Bella." He leaned forward, his lips right by her ear. "You hear that? My Bella. Mine. All mine. And you do as I say, remember?"

She shuddered, and gave a slight nod. "Yes, Master." She whimpered.

"That's a good girl." He whispered, and kissed her forehead lightly, earning a joyed purr from Bellatrix at the comment.

"Where the fuck is Weasley?" She hissed, backing away from him. "He was supposed to be here an hour ago." SNAP

"I'm right here, Bellatrix." Ron Weasley appeared in the Manor a few minutes later.

"Yesssss!" She hissed, a fire alighting in her eyes. "Tell me, TELL ME BOY!" She circled Ron like he was a piece of prey, a wicked grin on her gaunt face.

"Calm yourself, Bella." Voldemort snapped, striding forward towards Ron.

"Nooo! I want their blood!" She shrieked, eyes flashing.

"I said calm yourself!" He snarled, glaring at her. She whimpered, nodding and backing off slightly. "Well, well, well. What do you have for us, Ron?"

Ron instantly dropped to his knees in front of his Lord, his head lowered. "My Lord, I haven't got much. But Malfoy and Potter have grown very, very close. And the rumors I've heard at school...lets just say that they may have romantic feelings for each other."

_**"Yes!"**_ Bellatrix rushed forward, hands clawing at her Master's arm like a starving animal. "Kill, kill! Let me to them, I'll make them kill each other! Let me, let me please! Please Master, let me!" She gasped, clawing violently at his arm.

"What did I say?!" Voldemort snarled, aiming a harsh smack to her cheek.

But Bellatrix didn't back down. Scarily enough she seemed to enjoy the slap.

_**"Let...me...KILL!"**_ She shrieked.

Voldemort let out a seething hiss. "Thank you for the information, Weasley. If you don't mind leaving...Bella is a bit over excited with her freedom."

Ron nodded, and instantly was gone.

"You must calm yourself, Bellatrix!" Voldemort hissed, forcing her against the table.

"I want blood. I want to hear screams. I want to cause pain." She hissed, the same unnerving smile crossing her face. "I want to get at them!"

"I know you do, Bella, but you have to tame that urge for now! The time will come, I promise, but not just yet!"

"What do you want me to do, Master?! I've been locked up for fifteen years! I can't just keep sitting in my room and killing stray spiders! They don't scream, they don't feel like a human!"

"BELL-A-TRIX!" Voldemort snarled, aiming another harsh slap to her face. "Do you want me to punish you?! I'm coming to a breaking point with your blood lust!"

"Yesssss punish me. Make me scream, Master." She pleaded.

"You really are a filthy whore," he purred. "Yesss..." She cooed. "You're mine...mine...mine...you must do as I say." He whispered. "Yes, Master."

"What are you doing, Draco?" Tonks asked. They where in the kitchen, everyone at the table, except for Harry and Draco, talking in hushed voices. Harry was upstairs, and hadn't let anyone come in the room, and Draco was pacing.

"Um, pacing. Thinking." He growled, not looking at her.

"Do you want to talk?"

"No."

"It might help?"

"No! No, I do not want to talk, _**Nymphadora**_." Draco snarled. Nymphadora's hair singed a fiery orange, but she kept her temper. "Alright, alright. I just thought it might help."

"I'm just so confused..." He sank into a chair across from her.

"About?"

"Potter. Black. Voldemort. Everything..." He sighed.

"What confuses you about Sirius?" Tonks asked softly.

"He...he's a murderer! He killed twelve...thirteen people. Muggles!"

"No...no...no..." Tonks gave a soft laugh. "He was framed, Draco. Peter Pettigrew killed them, he gave away Lily and James Potter's hiding place to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he framed Sirius!"

"Wait...but...he was killed!"

"He faked his own death."

Draco buried his head in his hands. "Damn. I'm away behind on stuff."

"It's alright." She murmured.

"You should get some sleep, Draco." Draco flinched when Remus clapped a hand to his shoulder.

He craned his head up. "Sleep? No. Merlin, no..." He shook his head, looking down at his hands.

Remus sat down into the chair next to him. "Why not?" He asked.

"I just...can't. Not until I get everything straight."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything. The story. Start to finish." Draco demanded, having more courage then he had in a long time.

"Which story?" Remus asked quietly.

"I want to know about Harry, about Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, I want to know was really happened with Quirrell, I want to know what really happened in the Chamber of Secrets, I want to know about Voldemort, about the graveyard and Cedric. I want to know why you left Hogwarts. I just want to understand!" He glanced between Hermione, Remus and Nymphadora with a pleading look.

Remus took a deep breath. "You want to know all that, huh?" He asked softly.

"Lupin...I can't sleep easy until I know the truth about everything. I've been living a lie all my life, been drowned by rumors. I just want the truth. Please."

"You really are very smart, Draco. You know what's a rumor and what is actually the truth, don't you?" Remus murmured.

Draco lifted a shoulder into a shrug. "I try to differentiate the two."

"So..." Remus took a deep sigh. "Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. When Lily and James, Harry's parents, went into hiding from Voldemort, everyone thought that their secret keeper was Sirius. That's what they thought. They thought that Sirius was the one who betrayed Lily and James' hiding place, that he killed thirteen people and Pettigrew. But in truth, Pettigrew was the Potter's secret keeper. He was a Death Eater. He told Voldemort where Lily and James and Harry where hiding. He blew up twelve people, and faked his own death, leaving only a finger behind, and framed Sirius for everything. Therefore Sirius was thrown in Azkaban. But believe me, Sirius is completely innocent."

Draco narrowed his eyes, drumming his fingers on the table. "Peter Pettigrew...faked his own death...betrayed his friends..." He murmured, Remus grunting in agreement.

"Now, with Quirrell, ask Miss Granger, she knows more then me."

Draco turned expectantly to the chestnut haired girl, tilting his head slightly.

"Quirrell?" Hermione gave a soft huff. "A Horcrux of Voldemort's. Voldemort, whilst weak, sought out refuge in Quirrell, and made himself at home in Quirrell's body, and whilst teaching at Hogwart's, went after the Sorcerer's Stone." She gave a hoarse laugh, "failed miserably, though! Harry was to smart. He tracked Quirrell, found the Stone, and killed Quirrell. How? Not entirely sure. But he did."

Draco frowned even deeper. "I always knew something was up with that stuttering fool." He muttered. "So...the Chamber of Secrets. Who really was the Heir of Slytherin? What...what happened down there?"

"The Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione took a deep breath. "You know what a Basilisk is, right?"

"A large, serpent like snake that kills people if you look it in the eye." Draco replied.

"Yes. In the Chamber of Secrets was a Basilisk. Wait...I should start from the beginning. In the bookshop, in Diagon Alley, in second year. You remember meeting us there?"

He gave a hesitant nod.

"When your father took Ginny's book from her cauldron, and then put it back, he accidentally slipped a diary in with it. Ginny kept it, wrote in it. To Tom Riddle, Voldemort. The diary was a Horcrux of sorts. Tom Riddle was slowly possessing Ginny, he made her write the writing on the corridor walls in blood. He had the Basilisk in the Chamber. He–"

"How was the snake getting around? Is that why the people where petrified?"

"The pipes. It slithered through the pipes. Harry, as a Parselmouth, was the only one able to hear it. And yes. Because they didn't look it directly in the eye. Mrs. Norris saw it through a puddle, Justin saw it through Headless Nick, and I saw it through a mirror." Hermione clarified. "Mk..." Draco murmured, drawing in the information.

"Gilderoy Lockhart CLAIMED he could defeat the creature in the Chamber. Harry and Ronald soon found out that the Chamber was hidden underneath the sinks in the girls bathroom, the one with Moaning Myrtle. Harry opened the Chamber with Parseltongue. Lockhart tried to Obliviate Ron and Harry, because he was a fraud and a liar, but the wand backfired, and he Obliviated himself. Anyway, Harry found Ginny in the Chamber, slowly dying from Tom Riddle. Harry ended up seeing a ghost of a sixteen year old Tom, who conjured the Basilisk. Harry fought it, in the end killing the Basilisk with Godrick Gryffindor's sword, which Fawkes the Phoenix brought him. But one of the Basilisk's teeth got stuck in Harry's arm, and they are highly poisonous. But Harry took the tooth from his arm, and stabbed the diary, destroying it and the ghost of Tom Riddle, and Fawkes healed Harry's wound."

Draco stared at her, wide eyed. "Woah..." He breathed. "That's...insane...wait, who was the heir of Slytherin?"

"Tom Riddle, and Harry in a sort of way."

Draco leaned back into his chair, in a breathless sort of way. "That's...crazy." He murmured, and jumped when Crookshanks jumped into his lap, and curled up. Absentmindedly, he stroked the thick orange fur, causing the cat to purr. "And Voldemort and Cedric? Harry really saw Voldemort come back?"

"Yes, Draco, yes he did." Hermione confirmed.

"And you, Lupin. Why did you leave?"

"I'm...a werewolf." Remus answered. "And I couldn't stay at Hogwarts, not when most parents knew a werewolf was teaching their children."

Draco's blinked. Remus didn't strike him as a werewolf; nothing like Fenrir...

"That a whole crap ton of information in such a short time..." He murmured, burying his head in his hands again.

"It's even worse when you know the whole truth," Tonks murmured.

"That's not all?!"

"No...you see, there is a part of Harry is Voldemort. Harry is amongst the many of Voldemort's Horcruxes."

Draco was sure if it could, he jaw would have dropped to the floor. "Does he know?" He asked breathlessly.

Nymphadora shook her head. "And do not tell him. Not yet."

Draco ran a hand through his white-blonde hair, staring at the table in utter shock. "Damn..." He muttered. "Oh, and Hermione?" He turned to her. "I know the truth. I know that you think Ron is working for Voldemort. Alissa told me. And I'm afraid you're right."

He almost jumped from his chair when a pan from Molly clattered to the floor, causing Crookshanks to dig his claws deep into Draco's thighs. "Ow! Get your damn claws out of my legs!" He hissed. Crookshanks growled, and leapt from the chair, trotting away.

"You think my son is a Death Eater?!" Molly shrieked.

"He very well could be, Mrs. Weasley. Hermione said he used the Crutaius curse on her..." Alissa murmured.

Molly drew in a long breath, and suddenly rushed from the room.

"Why...must you have said that?" Arthur snapped, and followed his wife.

"Ron Weasley, a Death Eater?" Nymphadora hissed.

"It's a very well possibility, Tonks. Voldemort might be paying him. You know Weaselby will do anything to get money." Draco hissed.

"But resort to the Dark Lord?" Nymphadora hissed back. "I don't believe it."

"Oh, Tonks...you won't believe a lot of things then..." Draco sighed, leaning on the table slightly.

Harry suddenly slunk into the kitchen, and sank silently into his seat, picking at what food he had left. Draco looked at Tonks, who gave a slight nod, and he stood up, and moved, sitting in the seat next to Harry's. "Hey..." He looked at the raven-haired boy in concern. "You ok?"

Harry tensed, staring at his plate, not speaking.

"Potter. Can you hear me, or have you suddenly gone deaf?" Again, no answer. "Ok, what the fuck is wrong with you?!" Draco snarled.

"Draco! Hold your temper..." Remus warned.

"What's wrong with me?!" Harry snapped. "What is wrong with ME?! You are the one constantly lying to me!"

"I haven't once lied to you!" Draco snapped, earning a sharp prod from Tonks.

"Don't yell. It'll make it worse." She murmured, clapping a gentle hand to his shoulder.

"You have! And you didn't care to tell me the Death Eaters where at your Manor!" Harry raged.

Draco's hand curled into a tight fist, his fingers flexing irritably. "You are being stupid, Harry. None of us deserve to be yelled at. Not Hermione, not Sirius, not Remus. It isn't their fault. It's Dumbledore's."

"Don't you DARE insult him to my face!" Harry snarled, turning his hard glare on Draco.

"He's the one not letting them tell you anything!" Draco hissed.

Harry stood up, looking as if ready to go after Draco. _"Petrificus Totalus."_ Nymphadora uttered, and Harry fell to the floor with a thud. "There!"

Draco buried his face back into his hands, biting his bottom lip so hard it bled, screwing his eyes shut. Why couldn't anything be easy?


	11. One Word, Granger

I own nothing. All characters and copyright, ect, go to J.K. Rowling.

...

**_He didn't know who would stay or leave,_**

**_So he pushed them all away._**

...

"Tonks!" Remus snapped. "What?! He was going after Draco!" Tonks hissed. "You have to let them sort it out for themselves."

Draco snatched his wand from the table, stood up from his chair, and knelt beside Harry's frozen form. He reversed the spell quickly, and waited until Harry bolted upright. "Sh, sh, shhh." Draco pressed a finger lightly to Harry's lips. "Just come with me." He murmured, and helped Harry stand. Harry just nodded dumbly, looking extremely guilty and upset.

"Where are you taking him?" Sirius growled.

Draco glanced at Sirius, but only pulled Harry out of the room, and crept quietly down the hallway, tugging Harry with him up the stairs and into their room. "Sit. Now." He pulled Harry in, and forced him to sit on the bed.

"Draco, I'm so–"

"Save it." Draco snapped. "What the hell was that? Why did we do?" He snarled.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just..." Harry shifted on the bed, and drew his knees to his chest. "I don't know, Draco...I just feel so...angry. All the time..." He buried his face behind his knees, trying to hide from Draco's harsh glare.

Draco sighed, and sank down onto the bed next to him. "It's alright. Everyone snaps at some point. But...I was scared, Harry. I'm so scared I did something wrong, that I hurt you in some way. I've never seen you like that before, or anyone really, except maybe Bellatrix or Father..."

Harry lifted his head, and shifted closer to Draco, leaning against him slightly. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to scare you." He craned his head, letting it rest against Draco's slumped shoulder.

Draco tensed at the touch, but leaned into it slightly. "What happened, Harry? What flicked in your head and told you to do that?"

"I...I don't know. It...I liked it, Draco. I loved it. I don't know what it was, but I just loved the horrified look on your face...I don't now, but something in me, it...I don't understand it, Draco!" He sat up suddenly, green eyes meeting silver.

Draco shuddered. Because of Voldemort... "It'll be ok...I can't promise it, but I will try my damn well hardest to make them explain. Sirius and Tonk and Lupin, I mean. And Moody. They might know what's going on." He murmured.

Harry sighed, nodded, and slumped against Draco, a hand tracing circled on Draco's leg absentmindedly. "You're so different now..."

"People change." He rasped softly, shuddering at his touch. Suddenly his eyes narrowed, and he snatched Harry's hand. "The fuck is that?" He growled, pulling his hand closer. "I must not tell lies...the fuck? What the hell, Harry?! Why would you...cut yourself?!"

"I didn't. Umbridge...in detention. She made me write with this weird quill, and this just...carved itself into my hand..."

Draco hissed. "Tell Dumbledore."

"It's nothing, Draco. It's fine."

"It's not fucking fine!" Draco snapped.

"Just forget it, ok?!" Harry growled, pulling away from him.

"Ok...ok...I'm sorry. I just...don't want you hurt..."

"Why do you care so much about me?" Harry breathed softly.

"You...you're the only true friend I have, Harry..." He whispered. Harry's eyes went wide, and Draco instantly stood up, heading towards the door. "Forget it. Forget I ever said that. You're just Saint Potter, why should I care about you? Nothing but half-blooded scum."

"Draco, stop. You're sounding just like Lucius. Do you want that?" Harry tilted his head slightly, and Draco stopped in his tracks.

Draco turned to Harry, the same exhausted, gaunt look to his face. "Why must you always find a weak spot and hit it so hard, Potter?"

Harry stood up, and came up to Draco, tilting his head up to look at him. "You told me none of them deserved to be yelled at for no reason. Take that information for yourself, and you might just get something good out of the dark."

Draco sighed, glancing guilty at the ground. "I'm sorry, Potter...I'm just..."

"Why are you so scared, Draco? Why do you do this?"

"Because...because I don't know how...I don't..." He huffed, glancing at the ceiling, anywhere but those gorgeous green orbs. "Because I don't...know...how to be...vulnerable, I guess...Harry, I'm not...a good person. I was never taught how to be vulnerable, rash, kind. Malfoy's are cowards, they run at the first sight of danger and close themselves off at the first hint of affection from another human. I...am the same way."

"You don't have to be scared to care about someone," Harry protested softly.

"It's in my blood, Harry. I'm taught to marry just to continue our pure blood, not to love. I'm not taught how to care for someone. Just to continue our line, the Malfoy's, pure bloods." Draco muttered.

Harry snatched Draco's hand, and held him tight when he tried to pull away. "Your turn to follow me." He muttered, pulling him out of the room, and down the stairs, quiet to not disturb Mrs. Black.

"I noticed this when we came here," Harry murmured, pulling him into a room. "Look. Lumos Maxima," he whispered as he pulled out his wand, the room filling with light.

Draco blinked at the sudden brightness, taking in what was before him. It was a very, very old tapestry, faded and pale, chewed and ripped in some places. But nonetheless gold strands of thread connected names together. " 'The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Toujours Pur.' " he murmured, half to himself. "Harry, what...is this?"

"This," Harry murmured, "is your family tree. Look," he pointed his wand down, revealing Draco's name towards the bottom. "Look at who you are related to, Draco. It's not just the Malfoy's who are your family. Their are so many great wizards in the Black family, look..." He pointed to a burned mark, where Draco could faintly see the name 'Sirius Black'. "Wait..." He hand gently traced a line up the tapestry, "Sirius is...my cousin?" He murmured, dumbfounded.

"Your mothers maiden name is Black, Draco. Don't be such a dim witted prat. Look, Ted Tonks. The last name sound familiar?"

"Nymphadora...but she's not on here..."

"She's your cousin to, Draco. And your mother is a brilliant witch. Andromeda, your...aunt is a incredible healer. Just because most of the Black's and Malfoy's are horrible people, doesn't mean they haven't any brilliant and sweet people out of these families. You don't have to be like them! Just because its in your blood, doesn't mean you have to be like them. Look at Tonks, she's so much different from her bloodline. Stop putting yourself down because of your name. It means nothing. It's what's here that matters," he murmured, pressing a hand gently to Draco's chest, over his heart.

Draco shivered, suddenly cold to the bone from the touch. "I'm sorry, I have to do this," he whispered, snatched Harry by the front of his sweater vest, and attacked his lips with his own, Harry's wand falling to the ground with a clatter.

"What's going on in..." Nymphadora stopped at the door, and took a step back. "Nope, nope, I'm coming back later then..." And she took off down the hall again.

Draco either didn't notice her, or didn't even care. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's neck, pulling the kiss deeper.

"No Remus, don't go in there." "I warned you." "No! Harry...Draco...um...they're..."

They faintly heard Tonks in the hall, but didn't break the kiss for several moments, until they broke away, gasping.

"Remus they are–" "FILTHY HALF-BREED SCUM, RAVAGING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS. MUDBLOODED COWARDS, DIRTY BLOODED—"

Mrs. Black's resounded screeches filled the hall, but Draco and Harry chuckled softly.

"Tonks," Harry shook his head, locks of black hair scattering his face.

Draco wrapped a arm around Harry's waist, his other hand coming up and brushing strands of hair from Harry's face.

"MUDBLOODS! CREATURES OF DIRT! BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS! BLOOD TRAITORS!" "SIRIUS! SHUT THAT GOD DAMNED PORTRAIT OF YOUR STUPID MOTHER UP!"

A nervous smile crossed Draco's face. "We should go help them." He whispered.

"Yeah, we should." Harry agreed, but didn't move from the spot. "DESTROYING THIS HOUSE. ASHAMED OF MY KIN, BLOOD TRAITORS AND–" Harry stretched up slightly, planting his lips against Draco's. His lips weren't soft, actually the opposite, they were chapped, rough, but Harry didn't care. He nibbled gently at Draco's bottom lip, and at this Draco jerked away.

"No. I can't. This isn't safe. It's not safe for you." He turned and slunk out of the room, thankful that Mrs. Black had stopped screaming. Tonks jogged up to him, her hair a aqua blue color. "Hey," she tossed her chin up in greeting, a idiotic grin on her face.

"Fine, thanks." He muttered.

"Yeah?" She asked teasingly, nudging him in the ribs.

"Oh drop it Tonks!" He hissed. "Nothing happened. We were just looking at the family tree."

"And snogging each others faces off." Nymphadora shrugged, "but I guess you could call that looking at the Black family tree, if you like."

"Oh for Merlin's sake. You saw nothing, alright?"

"Um...well...about that..." Nymphadora gave a nervous laugh. "They um...they uh...I sort of told Remus and Sirius...I mean, not pointedly, but uh...I think they got the point..."

"TONKS!" Draco groaned, leaning against the wall.

"FILTHY BLOOD TRAITORS. MUDBLOODS AND SCUM RAVAGING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS–"

"SIRIUS! FOR GOD'S SAKE GET RID OF THAT FUCKING THING!" Nymphadora yelled down the hall.

"Stupid Permanent Sticking Charm!" Sirius yelped, dashing up the stairs. "She won't let go!" He added as he closed the curtains. He came back down, coming up to them. "So...Draco. Did you, uh, talk to Harry?" He asked, giving a pointed look at Nymphadora.

"Um...yes." Draco coughed. "Yes, I did. He calmed down. It's m

Because of...you know. Him. Possessing Harry." He kept his voice very low.

Sirius nodded. "That explains it..." He sighed. "Well, as Tonks informed me, you two were getting along quite well."

"No! No, I um...Er, well...you see...I uh..."

"No, no, Draco. It's good," he grinned, "Harry has something Voldemort doesn't: love."

"Wait—what? You're not–? But I mean we're both–?" Draco looked stunned.

Tonks snickered, "Sirius knows how that feels quite well, Draco." She nodded her chin down the hall to Remus.

"Tonks!" Sirius hissed. She just grinned.

"So you're not...mad at me?" I can guarantee these two people are my favorite cousins.

"Why would we ever be mad at you? It's a natural thing, you can't control who you love," Tonks stated.

"Yeah...but...I mean...I'm...me. A Malfoy."

Sirius sighed, "Draco, look. Malfoy's have a bad reputation, yes. But not all of them are bad. Your mother, though she isn't a Malfoy by blood, is one of the best people ever. She's a brilliant witch. You aren't bad because of just a name, it's the actions you make that shape who you are."

Draco gave a weak smile, and glanced back down the hall, where Harry was sulking by the door. "Thank you, Sirius. I wish I was told the truth about you sooner. And the truth that I have two super amazing cousins." He added, nudging Nymphadora.

Nymphadora snickered. "Right back at you," she said, grinning, her hair turning a bright red orange color.

"I think Harry wants to talk to you, Draco," Sirius murmured, indicating to his Godson who was sulking down the hall.

Draco looked over at the skinny raven-haired boy, and let out a long sigh.

"Why so apprehensive?" Sirius queried.

"Because there are so many people who are out to get him, who know me. My father, my aunt Bellatrix, Voldemort. They're all out to get him and I'm their best source." He looked at his elder cousin, "I'm scared, Sirius. To get close to him. Because I'm scared they're going to make me hurt him. And I can't do that, not when I...when I..."

"Hush, Draco." Nymphadora scolded softly, patting his shoulder. "As long as we can help it, no one is going to force you to hurt him. I promise that."

Draco gave her a nervous smile, and went down the hall to Harry. "Hey..." He murmured.

Harry turned around, and flung himself into Draco's arms, pulling him into a ravaging kiss. Startled, Draco tensed, but relaxed instantly, pulling Harry closer by the waist, not giving a fuck that Tonks and Sirius could very plainly see them.

Nymphadora grinned, and shared a look with Sirius. "Lets be real," she whispered, "this is the cutest thing ever."

Sirius nodded. "Hell yeah." He head a hand up, and she grinned even wider, slapping his hand with a high-five.

"Let's leave them to it then." She turned and walked down the hall, followed by Sirius. She was snickering madly. She gave a happy squeal, doing a slight skip.

Draco almost melted in Harry's grasp, letting out a soft moan as Harry gently nibbled his bottom lip. He instantly pulled away, staring down at Harry, "don't do that."

"Why not?"

"Feels weird..." Draco muttered. "I don't like it."

Harry huffed, and buried his head against Draco's neck tiredly. He let out a contented sigh, but the precious moment was broken by a old, raspy voice.

"Ahhhhhh, Master Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you." Kreacher croaked. "Kreacher would like to know what ever are you doing with the filthy half-breed?"

Draco's eyes snapped open, and located the strange house elf. "Leave him alone, Kreacher. It's none of your business," he growled almost defensively.

"Oh but Kreacher would love to know, young Master Malfoy. So Kreacher will ask one more time before he goes and wakes Mrs. Black; what is Master Malfoy doing with a filthy half blooded creature like him?"

"Call him filthy again and I'll hand you over to Sirius. He'll willingly throw you out." Draco snapped, stepping away from Harry, "come on, Potter. You need rest."

"Can we talk—"

"No." He pulled Harry's arm, leading him up the stairs. "Go to sleep, Potter. You're exhausted."

"Don't call me that," Harry muttered tiredly, slinking into the room, where a sleeping Alissa and Hermione already lay. He sank onto one of the beds tiredly, looking back at Draco, who was leaving. "No, Draco...don't leave." He whimpered softly. "Please."

Draco turned back to Harry, and sighed softly, coming back over to him and settling down beside him. "Alright." He murmured. To much was going through his head, and he just wanted sleep. But he knew the nightmares would still come, and he wouldn't sleep. He kicked his shoes off, quickly changed into the clothes Mrs. Weasley had laid out for them, and sank into the bed beside Harry, letting out a long sigh as he realized the other boy was fast asleep. He turned onto his side, back to Harry. "I don't understand why we are here."

...

Draco was roused from sleep by a strange noise. But it was, strangely enough, still dark. He snatched his wand, and slunk out of bed, and opened the door. Sobbing. In the next room over, he heard sobbing, and the soft, stuttering attempts at a spell. _"R-r-r-riddikulus...r...r...ridik..."_

He opened the door slowly, to find a sobbing Mrs. Weasley, and...Oh dear Salazar.

He stood frozen to the spot. A mangled and bleeding and lifeless form lay on the ground. Pale skinned, dark haired and green eyes. Harry. His heart instantly froze, and he felt a sob well in his throat until...until the shape reformed itself into Ron Weasley, just as lifeless and bloody as Harry, then he realized what is was: a Boggart. _"Ridikulus!"_ He snarled, aiming his wand at the stupid dead body. But instead of vanishing, another form appeared. Tall, long legged, blonde haired. Lucius Malfoy. And he strode towards Draco, a wicked grin crossing his face.

Draco backed up slowly, wand raised. "Fuck, fuck, _Ridikulus_!" Again the Boggart didn't vanish, instead it twisted and morphed into the worst possible thing, the mangled body of his mother.

He should have been smarter. He should have known it was just a Boggart, but her sky-blue eyes were to lifeless, to much blood..."Mum," he choked.

"Draco, dear, it's a Boggart. It's not your mum, kill it, Draco." He heard Molly whimper.

_"RIDIKULUS!"_ And the Boggart vanished. He dashed forward, and knelt in front of Molly's sobbing form. "Mrs. Weasley...it's alright now. I got rid of it." He murmured.

"Oh precious boy." She sobbed, hugging him bone crushingly. "You must think...I'm so silly for not being able to get rid of it."

Draco tensed at the touched, unmoving. "It's alright, it's alright." I'm so pathetic.

"Oh Draco, you shouldn't have had to see that. Your mum, Harry..."

I've seen worse. "Hush, Mrs. Weasley. It's alright."

Never, ever would be speak of that night, or the terror it rose inside him.

...

Harry had been roused from a sleep by a endless stream of yelling from downstairs. He was sure Draco had slept with him last night, but the bed had been empty. He came down the stairs now, fully dressed, and strangled to close the curtains over Mrs. Blacks portrait. The kitchen was alive with activity when he walked in. Mrs. Weasley was threatening Fred and George with a wooden spoon, Sirius (as a dog) was barking madly at Remus, Ginny, Alissa and Hermione were having a argument, and then at the table, speaking quietly was Tonks and Draco. Draco lifted his head with a laugh, nodding wildly at Tonks. Harry stood in place, almost transfixed by the blondes laugh. It was strange, like it didn't belong to him. A raspy, harsh laugh, as if someone hadn't laughed in a long time. It didn't seem to belong to Draco, yet at the same time it was so...him. It was strange to think about, because, if Harry were to ask himself, he didn't think he had ever heard the blonde Slytherin laugh a genuine laugh.

Draco suddenly realized Harry was standing there, he gaze drawing away from Tonks. He lowered his head, as if embarrassed.

"Hey Tonks?"

"Whaddup, Cuz?"

"D'you have some parchment and quill I can possibly borrow? I need to write a letter."

"Yeah, 'course you can. We have plenty around here."

Harry heard the snippets of the conversation as he came up to the table, Tonks getting up and vanishing from the room for a few minutes. Harry sat at the table, snatching a muffin up. "Morning, Draco. Do you feel better?"

"I feel fine. I felt fine last night, this morning, whatever. I'm fine, so stop fucking asking." Draco snapped, leaning on his arms.

"Who shoved their wand up your arse?"

"Fuck off, Potter."

"Fine, be that way." Harry snarled, devouring the muffin with a ravenous hunger as Tonks reappeared, settling ink, a quill and parchment on the table in front of Draco. "If you need to borrow a owl, you can use Livvy," she offered.

Draco shook his head, suddenly quite. "No thanks. I saw Eve flying around last night, I can use her." He murmured.

"Who are you writing to?" Harry asked.

"None of your fucking business."

Harry frowned, studying Draco's tensed form. Draco was leaning one bent arm on the edge of the table, the other hand picking up the quill. A characteristic look of Draco's crossed the blondes face: 'I'm pissed, I don't want to talk, leave me alone, fuck off.'

"Arse." Harry growled, but only got a low growl in return. "I don't understand what your problem is! Last night you were...well," he gestured his hands between them, "and now you're acting all weird. What the fuck is your problem?" He leaned close so Draco could hear him over Molly's shouting, Alissa/Hermione and Ginny's arguing, and Sirius' barking.

Draco looked up from his letter with a dangerous warning glare, but didn't speak, and returned to his letter.

_Dear Mother,_

_I'm so sorry for not coming back for Christmas. I've gotten your letters, by the way. Don't worry, I'm safe, nothing's happened. But we do need to talk. I'll be in Hogsmeade next weekend, meet me at The Three Broomsticks if you can. Don't come if you don't think it's safe._

_Stay safe, Mum, I love you. _

_—__**DM**_

"I have no problem, Potter." He snapped after finishing his letter.

"Who are you sending that to? You haven't sent a letter in months, why now?" He snatched the letter from the table, eyes skimming over Draco's incredibly neat and tidy handwriting. "Ohhh, it's for Narcissa."

"Give that back!" Draco hissed, lunging for the letter.

"Calm yourself, here," he handed the letter back slowly. "Sorry for being concerned. I thought maybe it was because of your father." Harry snapped sarcastically.

Draco flinched, and snatched the paper up. "Keep out of this Potter." She strode out of the kitchen, food untouched.

Harry let out a long sigh. "I'm just trying to help..." He whispered.

...

January 4th, Slytherin Common Room, 5:00 PM

...

After hearing Draco protesting madly and begging for a reason they had gone to the OOTP, and why they had to leave so early, they eventually got back to Hogwarts and their Common Room.

It confused Harry as much as Draco why they had gone there. But one thing was for sure: Draco liked it there much better then Hogwarts it seemed. Though, unlike other Slytherin's, Draco couldn't stand yelling, and was reserved and rather stayed curled in a corner with a book, he had seemed to immensely enjoy being there, even with Harry's outburst. The blonde Slytherin had grown, even in less then a day and a half, very close to his Metamorphagus cousin, Nymphadora Tonks, even promising to write to her.

Now thought, Draco sat by one of the massive windows (on the floor) curled against a wall, reading. (Or brooding, probably both)

Hermione came up the stairs from the Girl Dorm, and saw Draco sitting there. She trotted over, and sank down next do him.

"What do you want, Granger?" He muttered absentmindedly, scanning the pages of the book.

"Ohh! You're actually reading Hogwarts: A History!" She squealed excitedly. "Anyway, anyway...what's up? Why're you sitting over here by yourself?"

Draco rolled his eyes, but didn't look up from his book. "Because I'm reading, Granger. What does it look like?"

"Well...I see that, Malfoy. But why are you here? I expected you to be over there, with Zabini and everyone. Zabini, Nott and Parkinson are playing Exploding Snap if you want to join."

Now Draco looked at her. "I don't want to join them, Granger! I'm alone for a reason."

"What reason is that? Are you ill?"

"Do you ever give up?" Draco hissed, exasperated. "No, I'm sick of hearing the whispers. You don't hear them? They were talking about why we were missing for this weekend, and they just...whisper, Granger. About me. I haven't yet walked into a room and not heard someone whispering about me."

"What are you talking about? People don't whisper about you."

"Are you deaf, Granger?" He slammed his book closed, shifting to face her. "Everywhere, everyday, all I hear are bits and pieces of conversations about me. They know! They are catching on, they think I'm a Death Eater and people are becoming scared."

"Me and Harry and Alissa don't whisper about you Draco." Granger murmured.

"I and Harry." He muttered.

"Sorry?"

"It's I and Harry, not me and Harry."

"Sor-ry." She growled.

"Besides the point. Anyway. I do not want them to be scared of me, Granger! I have never once wanted to bring harm upon any of these people. Any of them. Not you or Potter, or Zabini or Parkinson, Diggory or Chang. No one. Ever. I just want to be accepted for once, not treated like I am some sort of freak." He slumped back against the wall, staring at his lap.

"You aren't a freak. You're anything but. Don't let them take you down."

Draco hissed, his hands tightening into fists. "I am a freak, don't you understand that? Look at my bloodline. Look at the people in my family. Lucius, Bellatrix..."

"But you also have people like Sirius and Nymphadora in your family. You aren't like Lucius. If this past year has proved anything it's proved that."

"You sound like Harry."

"Yeah?" Hermione tilted her head slightly, drawing her knees to her chest. "He really cares about you."

"No he doesn't." Draco huffed, curling himself into his corner. "No one can care about me, Granger. Maybe they think they can, but...no. They don't know who I really am, they don't know the freak I really am." He stared blankly out the window into the lake.

"Draco—"

Draco stood up, abandoned his book, and slunk up into the Boys Dormitory without another word.

...


	12. I got you, you're safe now

Please, please review! its motivates me!

...

_**January 11th, Slytherin Common Room, 10:00 PM**_

...

"This is stupid!" Draco shut his book, throwing it beside him on the couch.

Harry jerked. He hasn't heard the other Slytherin speak since last week...

"What is?" Harry asked softly.

"Our O. for Defense Against the Dark Arts! This book," he held up a heavy DADA book, "one of the ones you gave me, is what we should be studying and learning. Instead we are learning nothing about defensive spells! This Umbridge woman is rubbish."

Hermione frowned, looking up. "It is bad. But we can't do anything about it."

"Yes...yes we can." A grin crossed Alissa's face.

"Oh no, oh no, no, no, no. Alissa, if this has to do with hexing anyone do doing something incredibly dangerous and stupid..."

Alissa turned to Draco with a grin, "what's your definition of stupid?"

"Let me hear it then," He sat cross legged on the couch, elbows leaning against his thighs.

"We need a new teacher–"

"So we're going to hex Umbridge, hide her in the Forbidden Forest and pretend it wasn't our fault, and then Dumbledore hires someone new. No, absolutely not." Draco finished.

Alissa frowned. "Is that really what you take me for? No you dimwitted git. There is someone in Slytherin, someone who was Lupin's prize student, someone very knowledgable and crafty in the dark arts..."

"Hermione...?" Draco offered.

Alissa stood up, stalked over, and gave him a well-earned (but gentle) smack to the back of his.

"Ah, fuck! Sorry." Draco hissed.

"No, not Hermione! Harry!" She looked over at Harry, who looked up and raised a dark brow.

"Me? But I'm only sixteen. I can't teach."

"But you can teach us in private! Look, tomorrow is Hogsmeade weekend, I'm going to get as many people in Hogwarts to meet us in the Hogs Head pub in Hogsmeade, and we can talk about it there at...2:00 pm. Ok? Ok." Without waiting for a word, she snatched up her books and trotted into the Girls Dormitory.

Draco blinked. "Well I guess I should give her more credit..." He muttered.

"Me? I can't...I can't teach..." Harry stammered.

"But you are so talented with the Dark Arts! We need you, Harry!" Hermione urged.

"Fine...I'll see what she has to say..."

"Oh!" Draco sat up straight suddenly. "Erm...Granger, Potter...I know I haven't been exactly the...nicest person to you this past week–"

"Forget it, Draco. I'm sure you have a good reason." Hermione murmured.

Draco nodded slightly. "But um...I'm meeting my mother in Hogmeade tomorrow, and I told her I would bring you guys along if you like...but I-I, erm, you don't have to c-come if you d-don't want, I-it's fine."

Harry cocked his head, "your mother isn't a...?"

"No." Draco shook his head.

"I'd love to!" Harry agreed.

"I'll come to," Hermione replied.

Draco blinked. "O-ok..." He whispered.

...

_**January 12th, The Three Broomsticks, 12:30 PM**_

...

"What if she couldn't come? What if something happened to her?" Draco whimpered, kicking a clump of snow.

"I'm sure she's absolutely fine, Draco. You have to breathe," Harry murmured, tugging him into the Three Broomsticks.

Draco made a whining noise, and followed Harry slowly. His eyes scanned the pub, searching desperately for the blonde haired woman. There! He spotted his mother at one of the tables, chattering with one of the waitresses. He waited until the waitress left, before trotting up to her. "Mom!"

Narcissa instantly stood up, smiling. "Draconis," she murmured, hugging her son tightly.

Draco gave a light whimper. "Mum, that hurts," he whispered, instantly she released pressure.

"I'm so sorry, Little Dragon. I was just so worried about you," she whispered, taking a step back.

"And I you, Mum. But look," he raised his voice slightly, stepping to the side. "Granger and Harry came with me," he said, a smile crossing his face.

Hermione stepped forward eagerly, her curls bouncing. "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I you, Miss Granger. Draconis tells me you are exceptionally bright for your age." Narcissa murmured.

Hermione flushed red, smiling. She shot a surprised look at Draco, "oh...uh, t-thanks." She stammered.

Narcissa smiled, and suddenly caught sight of Harry behind Hermione. Standing there almost awkwardly, hair miserably untamable, green eyes glittering, he gave a nervous smile.

"Come here dear, I don't bite."

Harry came up hesitantly, glancing at Draco.

"This is my mother, Harry, Narcissa Malfoy. And Mom...I'd drop dead if you didn't know who this is. Though he needs a haircut," Draco murmured.

Narcissa chuckled, and Harry just scowled at Draco. "Come, dears, sit. We have...much to talk about." She said suddenly, with a pointed look at Draco. He gave a tense nod, and then looked at Hermione. "Ladies first, Miss Granger." He said with a mock grin.

"Oh how charming, Draco." She snorted, sliding into the booth carefully.

Harry rolled his eyes, shoving Draco forward, "I'll sit at the end." He muttered, forcing Draco to sit in the middle.

"So," Draco murmured after Harry had sat down, "what happened?"

Narcissa frowned, glanced at Hermione and Harry, and looked pointedly at Draco, "do they know? About...Lucius?"

"Harry does, somewhat." Draco replied tensely.

Narcissa sighed, looked around as if to check no one was near, and leaned forward slightly. "He's worse, Draconis. Bella and Lucius are getting worse, and...I don't want them taking it out on you. For Easter break and summer...do you have anywhere you can stay other then the Manor? It's not safe..."

"Mom!" Draco hissed, "I'm coming back, and I don't care if you don't like it. I can get information, you know, and then I can tell Harry."

Narcissa's frown deepened. "That's not safe, Draconis. I don't want you to get hurt more."

"I don't give a damn if I get hurt or not, Mother." Draco snapped, "he'll just come find me away Mum, then he'll know you told me to stay away. You know what'll happen if he knows that..." Draco flinched suddenly when Harry edged closer, a hand intertwining with his. Draco looked down at the shorter boy with a wide eyed expression. "You know...he'll...hurt you, Mum..." He murmured slowly, carefully looking back at his mother.

Hermione, who had sat watching silently, narrowed her eyes. "Lucius? What do you mean he'll hurt her? Or am I not supposed to know?"

Draco sighed. "I'll tell you tonight." He muttered.

"Draconis, **no**. I will not let you come back just for my sake." Narcissa snapped.

"Everything I do is for your sake, Mother! The only reason I go back is because of your safety!" Draco hissed under his breath.

Narcissa let out a seething breath, and looked as if she was going to yell.

"Mum, stop. It's settled. We have more to tell you, and soon we might be able to get rid of Father and Bellatrix and...Voldemort." Draco murmured. He glanced at Harry, as if asking permission.

"You trust her, right? Then tell her. It's fine." Harry murmured, giving Draco's hand a gentle squeeze under the table.

Draco flinched, loosing his voice for several moments. "I...um...uh...oh...recently, Alissa and Hermione forced us to stop doing homework, and dragged us out during the night. We came to a place, called the Grimmauld Place, the Moste–"

"—Moste Noble and Most Ancient House of Black." Narcissa finished.

"Yes..." Draco replied slowly, giving his mother a strange look. "Hermione and Alissa informed us, upon arriving there, of something called The Order of The Phoenix. It's a organization, Dumbledore's organization. Against Voldemort. It's been going on for years, even since Lily and James were young. They're building recruits, and..." He glanced at Harry. "I asked Sir—um, Remus Lupin, and he said you might be able to join, if you like, give us a inside view. I know you are against Him, Mum. Join them. Give me your word, and I'll owl Tonks about it."

Narcissa held up a hand, "first of all, if there is a organization against Voldemort, then I one hundred percent want to join them. Do they hold meetings, can I meet them somewhere?" She asked.

"Yes, I'll owl Tonks, see when the next meeting is, and I'll owl you. Be careful of Aunt Bella, Voldemort and Father though." Draco murmured, looking deathly serious.

Narcissa gave a slight nod. "Of course, Draconis. Second, which Tonks is this?"

"Nymphadora Tonks." Draco murmured. "You never told me I had a cousin like her, Mum."

Harry suddenly froze at that. The sheer look of disappointment and grief that crossed Draco's face was utterly heartbreaking.

"Harry, Hermione. Can you two...leave? Just for a few minutes?" Draco murmured, pulling his hand from Harry's.

"Of course, Draco." Harry stood up, and after Hermione followed, slowly made his way out of the building.

"Do you think he's alright?" Hermione murmured, shoving her hands in her pockets.

"I don't know, Hermione. I don't know." Harry murmured.

"Why did you never tell me, Mum?" Draco whispered. "If I knew I had a cousin like her, I wouldn't have been stuck inside the Manor every day of my life with Dobby and Dot. She treats me like a normal human, Mum, she doesn't treat me like a overgrown infant like Dobby and dot did, and she doesn't treat me like some sort of freak like Slytherin does. Why did you never tell me? Why was I never allowed to meet her?"

Narcissa sighed, a look of guilt crossing her pale face. "Draconis," she murmured, "you know how important blood purity is to your father, right?"

Draco gave a slight nod, "but it doesn't matter to m–"

Narcissa held up a hand. "Nymphadora is a half-breed. Andromeda, my sister, your aunt, loved a Muggle, Ted Tonks. She didn't care about blood purity, and married him, and had Nymphadora. That's why you don't see Nymphadora or Andromeda on the Moste Noble and Ancient House of Black family tree, they were burned off. Because of Nymphadora's half-blood, your father made me swear I would never allow you to meet either of them, claiming that he wouldn't have his pureblooded son hanging with a filthy half-breed like Nymphadora."

"But I don't care about blood purity–"

"Maybe you don't but your father does, Draconis! You know he controls everything we do. I tried, I tried so hard to make him let you see her, even once. But I couldn't. He would only let you speak with the purebloods."

"Maybe, just maybe, if my father wasn't a condescending Pureblooded arse, he would see that Nymphadora is a wonderful person. This whole Pureblood thing is going to trash, Mom. We've been inbred for years, and it's led to us just hating half-breeds and Muggle-borns even more. We need to do something about it."

"Watch your language Draconis," Narcissa growled with a warning glare, "we can't do that. The Malfoy's are one of the eldest Pureblooded families out there, and if we start having children with Muggleborns and half-breeds now, we will loose our reputation completely."

"That's fucking pretentious, Mother!"

"Watch your tone, Draco!"

"It's a stupid name, Mum. It's ridiculous. Blood means nothing. If Harry has taught me anything, it's that my name means nothing, and I can do whatever I want, love who ever I want, without worrying about my reputation of a name."

Narcissa let out a long sigh, blue eyes meeting silver. "Oh Draconis. You really thinks its that easy?"

"Yes! I don't care about my reputation anymore. I don't! I don't care how many people think I'm a freak, I don't care how much Dad'll hurt me, I don't care if I'm disowned. Because you know what? Half-breeds and Muggleborns are so much better then this lot of Purebloods. Nymphadora is so amazingly kind, Remus Lupin is incredibly talented, Hermione is brilliant and exceptionally smart, Alissa is deathly loyal and incredibly devoted, and...and Harry is so much braver then any of us. He's watched his parents die as a child, he watched Cedric die, he watched Voldemort come back. Mum, I don't care anymore," his voice was barely a whisper now, "I don't care about my name. I just want to associate with the people who treat me as a equal, nothing less and nothing more."

Narcissa lips turned in a smile, "don't let your father hear that. But I'm proud of you, Draconis. I really am. And...speaking of Harry. Are you still...I mean, Draconis, you can't possibly...?" The smile faded instantly.

Draco looked at her with silver eyes full of desperate longing of something he could never reach. "You know I still do. He's too kind, Mother. He treats me different from the others, like a equal. He's never pushed me or asked for any more information or...anything. He...Mom, you know I still like him."

His mother gave a long sigh, "you're making this so much more difficult for yourself. Don't act on your feelings, Draconis. Do not, do you hear me? You can never be with him, not in today's society."

_**I can't change my feelings.**_ "Fine. I have to go though, they are waiting for me." He stood up, snatching his jacket.

"Draco..." She murmured, standing when he turned to leave.

"What do you want now?!" He hissed, turning to face her.

"Be careful," she whispered.

"I'll write to you later," and he whisked out of the place. "...who does she think she is? Telling me who to love." He jerked his head at Hermione and Harry, "lets go!" He snapped, "we are going to be late."

Harry dashed through the snow to catch up to him. He craned his neck up slightly, delicate flakes of icy snow landing on his dark lashes. He studied Draco for a moment, the way his jaw was set, but eyes watching the ground a sulking like manner. Eye's are the key to one's soul...

"Are you alright?" Harry asked tentatively.

Draco didn't give him a second glance. "I'm FINE. Does no one understand body language? Oh, no! Of course not, just Draco the Freak does!" He huffed, hurrying to catch up to Alissa as he saw her outside the Hogs Head.

He didn't wait for Harry or Hermione as he ducked inside. He shuddered, pausing at the door. It was a very dark, dingy place, reminding him faintly of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. The part that differentiated it, though, was the overwhelming scent of creatures, possibly goats or sheep, he guessed. His suspicions were proved correct when a large goat ran out the door. Several people crowded the bar, most of them had their faces covered, drinking out of disgusting looking glasses. He took a step forward, coming behind Alissa. "You better have a damn good reasoning for this, Piers." He hissed.

Alissa looked up at him, and grinned widely. "Just you wait."

"Where the hell is everyone?" He growled when Harry and Hermione stumbled in behind him.

"There!" Alissa yelped happily.

Draco turned, and sure enough trudging through the deep snow, was a very LARGE group of people. Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Ginny Weasley, Fred and George Weasley, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Cho Chang, Lee Jordan, Parvati and Padma Patil, Lavender Brown, Katie Bell, and Justin Finch-Fletchy were just a few he recognized.

"Alissa!" Harry hissed, coming up beside her, "I thought you said you were asking a FEW people, not the entire school!"

"Actually, Harry, it's not the entire school. The four of us are the only Slytherin's here." Alissa beckoned to the room over, "alright! Everyone SIT DOWN AND LISTEN!" She snarled for quiet as people scrambled to sit, Harry, Hermione and Draco hesitantly settling down beside her. "So. We all know we need a teacher..." She paused, "a proper teacher. I decided to take it into my own hands to come up with this idea, because what Umbrdge is teaching us is completely rubbish." She paused, a ripple of murmurs passing through the room, "and by that, I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells–"

"But you all want to pass your DADA O. though, I bet." Said someone Draco didn't recognize.

"Of course we do! But we want to be properly trained in Defense because..." Alissa paused, drawing in a sharp, shuddering breath. "Because Lord Voldemort has returned."

The reactions were instantaneous. Neville shrieked, Luna looked on dreamily and indifferently still, Padma and Parvati shuddered, and Ginny gave a strange twitch, and Hermione and Harry and Draco fell deathly silent.

"Where the hell is the proof You-Know-Who's back anyway?!" Said a Hufflepuff sixth year aggressively.

"Dumbledore believes it–" Draco started.

"Dumbledore only believes it because HE believes it," the blonde growled, looking pointedly at Harry, "that doesn't mean he is really back."

"You have absolutely no right to accuse Harry of lying, you good for nothing-"

"FREAK!" Someone shouted at Draco, and Draco instantly shrank back, a look of hurt crossing his gaunt features.

"I think I've got the right to know what exactly makes HIM say You-Know-Who's back."

"Look–" Hermione intervened quickly "–that's not what this meetings about."

"Actually, it's fine, Hermione," Harry murmured. Now he knew why so many people had shown up; they had hoped to hear his story first-hand. "What makes me say Voldemort's back?" He asked loudly, looking at the blonde. "Because I saw him. Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you don't believe us then clear out."

The blonde said dismissively, "all he told us was that Cedric got killed by him. He didn't give us details, and I think we'd all like to–"

"If you've come to know exactly what it looks like when Voldemort kills someone, I can't help you." Harry growled. He was becoming frustrated, with Alissa, the blonde, Hermione, even Draco... "I am not going to talk about Cedric Diggory." He glared angrily at Alissa. It was all her fault, she displayed him as some sort of freak, and all the people just showed up because they wanted to know about Cedric.

"As I was saying, if you want to learn about defensive spells, we need to work out where and when we will–"

"Is it true," Luna interrupted, "that you can produce a Patronus, Harry?"

"Yes..." Said Harry, slightly defensive.

"A corporeal Patronus?"

"Yes...a stag..." He murmured.

"Seriously?" Draco gaped, staring at him wide eyed. "Like, no shit? You can produce a corporeal Patronus?"

Harry turned to him, unable to hide a smile. He was so close to Draco, he could see the flecks of blue in his gorgeous silver eyes, and scent his sweet smell, like autumn and cinnamon, a hint of mint even. All sharp and tangy scents, but warm and comforting underneath. "Y-yes," he choked, mentally slapping himself for stammering so stupidly. "I-I...yes..."

"And did you kill a basilisk with the sword in Dumbledore's office?" Someone called.

"Er..." Harry slowly drew his gaze from Draco's, and have a slight nod. "Y-yeah..." He muttered softly.

"In first year he saved the Sorcerer's Stone from You-Know-Who!" Seamus called.

"And not to mention," Draco said (he gave Harry a slight smile that made his heart do a violent flutter), "all the tasks he had to get through for the Triwizard Tournament, getting past dragons and mer–people and...acromantula's and...something..." If someone was paying attention, anyone could see that Draco was completely whipped, but everyone was to hyped about Harry to notice the longing lust in the blondes voice.

Harry swallowed hard, trying to force down a idiotic grin. The fact that Draco had gotten over his previous frustration and was PRAISING Harry made it so much harder to speak.

"Look...I...I'm not trying to be modest...Er anything...but I had a lot of help with that stuff..." He muttered.

"Not with the dragon you didn't! That was a amazing bit of flying," said Alissa instantly.

"And no body helped getting rid of those Dementors in third year!"

"No..." Harry stammered, "ok, I know I did bits of it myself, but–"

"Are you just trying to weasel your way out of teaching us any of this stuff?" Lavender Brown hissed.

"Here's a idea!" Draco snarled, leaning forward, "shut your mouth!"

"Well, we turned up to learn from him, and then he says he can't really do it!"

"That's not what he said," snarled George.

"Would you like us to clean your ears out for you? Or any part of your body, really, we aren't picky," said Fred, pulling out a long, lethal looking metal instrument from his Zonko's bag.

"Yes, well...moving on!" Alissa said hurriedly, "are we agreed to take lessons from Harry?"

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, except for a few grunts of discontent.

"Well, then, the next question is how often we do it–"

"This can't clash with our Quidditch practice, Alissa! We need Draco and Harry as much as possible." The Slytherin Quidditch team captain called, and which reminded Harry he needed to try out for their Quidditch practice. He frowned, then. Draco was already their Seeker...

"I'm sure we can find a night that works for everyone," Hermione said with a frown, slightly impatient, "but you know, it's rather important; we're talking about lending to defend ourselves against V-V-Voldemort's Death Eaters..."

"Well said!" Barked Ernie Macmillan, "personally, I think this is really important. Possibly more important then our O. !" He looked around impressively. When someone called "surely not!" He continued, "I, personally, am at a loss to see why the Ministry has forced such a old hag of a teacher like her upon us in such a dark period. Obviously they are in denial about the return of You-Know-Who, but to give us a teacher who is actively trying to refrain us from using defensive spells–"

"We think," Draco interrupted, much to everyone's surprise, seeing as everyone's head turned to him, "we think the reason Umbridge doesn't want us trained in Defense Against the Dark Arts...is that, she has some sort of mad idea that Dumbledore could use the students in the school as a kind of private army. She thinks he'd mobilize us against the Ministry."

Nearly everyone looked stunned at this news, even more so that it was the Malfoy Heir, the arsehole of Slytherin, giving them that news. Everyone but Luna Lovegood, "well, that makes since, considering Cornelius Fudge has got his own private army."

"Wait...what?" Draco stared at her, gaping.

"Yes, he's got a army of Heliopaths."

"No he hasn't!" Hermione snapped.

"Yes he has!"

"What the hell are Heliopaths?" Draco asked, completely blanked.

"For a Slytherin, you really are dimwitted," some one growled.

"They're spirits of fire, giant creatures that gallop over the lands–"

"They don't exist, Draco," Hermione reassured him.

"Oh yes they do!" Luna argued.

"I'm sorry, but where in hell is the PROOF of that?!" Hermione snapped.

"There are plenty of eyewitnesses! If you weren't so narrow minded–"

"Hem, hem," said Ginny in a frighteningly good impression of Umbridge, everyone fell silent. "Weren't we deciding how often we are going to meet for Defense lessons?"

"Yes, yes you are right. Once a week sounds good," Alissa murmured.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with Quidditch!" Draco protested, and everyone just groaned and rolled their eyes.

"Well...the other thing we need to decide is where we will meet..." Hermione muttered.

"The library?" Katie Bell offered.

"Madam Pince wouldn't be too chaffed with us practicing jinxes around her books," Harry murmured.

"Unused classroom?"

"Maybe..." Hermione paused, "right, well, we'll set a place sometime. For now, write your name on this parchment if you like to join..."

...

After much arguing, Harry, Hermione, Draco and Alissa left the Hog's Head, stopped by Honeydukes, and then started returning home.

Draco stared at the list as they walked through the snow towards Hogwarts.

_Dumbledores Army_

_Fred Weasley_

_George Weasley_

_Cho Chang_

_Lavender Brown_

_Justin Finch-Fletchy_

_Luna Lovegood_

_Neville Longbottom_

_Ginny Weasley_

_Katie Bell_

_Dean Thomas_

_Parvati Patil_

_Padma Patil_

_Taylor Moore_

_Alicia Spinner_

_Angelina Johnson_

_Colin Creevy_

_Denis Creevy_

_Ernie Macmillan_

_Hannah Abbott_

_Anthony Goldstein_

_Terry Boot_

_Michael Corner_

_Livvy Noel_

_Devin Nollen_

_Lee Jordan_

_Alissa Piers_

_Hermione Granger_

_Harry Potter_

_Draco Malfoy_

"You alright, mate?" Alissa asked from beside him, her brunet hair pulled high in a messy bun.

"Fine." He shoved the letter into his pocket, watching with jealousy where Hermione and Harry where walking side by side up ahead.

"Stop that, Dray." She scolded.

"Stop what?"

"Pining over Harry! People are starting to notice how totally whipped you are and if the word goes out to–"

"I am NOT WHIPPED!" Draco yelped. "I am anything BUT WHIPPED!"

"Oh really? You are too! Listen to me. Tonks told me she saw you and Harry in the Grimmauld Place, and what you were doing. This has to stop, Dray. You are just going to hurt yourself and him more."

"Why can you never leave me alone?" Draco snarled as they entered Hogwarts. He shoved ahead, coming up alongside Harry, head down, shoulder's hunched, yet somehow incredibly alert. I need some place to hide, some place to get away, some place to sleep without nightmares. I need someone to hide me, some one to get away with, some one to hold me so I can sleep without nightmares, someone to piece me back together. He suddenly veered away from the ground, heading up a flight of stairs, and into a empty corridor. He kept walking silently, acutely aware of Harry slinking in the shadows behind him. You're horrible at stalking, Harry. His thoughts paused, then the darker part of his mind took over. Or maybe I'm just a freak with freakishly good hearing.

He paused, looking up. The corridor had come to a dead end, just a large wall. Nothing there but two other corridors leading separate directions. Where am I? I've never seen this corridor before...let's just go back, I just want sleep...suddenly, before his eyes a door formed on the wall. He took a slow step forward, glanced around, and opened the massive brown door. His breath hitched when he stepped inside, and he paused at the door. It was a room, huge, the walls made of seemingly mirror's, a huge fireplace looming in the back. It could have been a living space, he thought, if it had furniture. He stepped fully inside, releasing the door. But no one caught it, he was sure, before he didn't hear it shut. He turned slowly, and saw Harry step inside, awe-struck.

"This is the Room of Requirement," Draco rasped suddenly.

"What?" Harry breathed, the door falling closed.

"It's a hidden room. It comes to a person's aid when they are in desperate need of something. Like a sanctuary, a safe place." He explained softly. "I read about it in a book somewhere. Not many people know about it, as I'm aware. Because the person has to really, really need, not want, but desperately need, a place to hide. A place to get away, a place to feel safe, to run from their demons from time to time."

Harry stared at him with a mixture of awe and guilt and sadness. Draco had unintentionally spilled half his secrets to the raven-haired boy. "Oh, Draco..." He whispered. "Why? What's bothering you so much?"

Draco sank to the floor, and sat there, cross legged, as if his legs were to weak to hold him up any longer. He stared at a Harry with bright Silver eyes, the soft cracks of the fire the only source of noise in the large room. "Do you really want to know?" He whispered, his voice echoing softly of the walls of the almost empty room.

Harry came forward, and sat down a few feet in front of Draco. "Draco. I'm willing to listen, if you're willing to trust me." He murmured.

"I hate this!" Draco seethed, wringing his hands in his lap.

"What?" Harry asked softly.

"This...this fantasy I've made in my head. This fantasy that maybe, MAYBE we could be together, that MAYBE you liked me back, that MAYBE everything would be ok."

"You like me." Harry replied, sounding stunned.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No. Not to me. I thought...when you...y'know...it was just...just to mess with me." Harry murmured.

"No, damn it Potter! I wouldn't do something like that. When I do something, I give it everything or nothing, not a half arsed reason. No...no, I liked you. But I shouldn't, I damn well shouldn't, and I'm scared..." He couldn't stop it now. He knew Harry wouldn't let him leave until he got answers.

"What are you so scared of?"

There was a small pause, Draco hunched over, but looking at Harry guiltily. "You," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

"Why? I'm not going to–"

"No. You don't understand. Because if, in some messed up world, we were to ever be together, I know you'd leave me. I know, that, I'd give everything I have to you, and then one day you leave me. Don't try to disagree because I know it, and I'll be broken. More then I am now. I gave all my heart to someone before, and she broke it. I can't bear to do that again."

Harry was silent again, for so long it started to hurt. That's when Draco spoke again. "And I'm scared of that! I'm scared because I know I won't hold myself back, I know I will l-l-lo—care for you with every bone in my body, and I know I will pay the price. I'm scared of you, Harry, because I don't want to be hurt like that again! But something...something inside me...it...it, it just wants to be with you, no matter how much I know someday I'll pay. But I ne—want...it. I want you. I want to be able to hold you and hug you and cuddle you and kiss you, I want to be able to care for you as much as I long to. But that fear, that fear that's embedded in me...I can't do it. For your sake and mine."

"Is that what he did to you?" Harry croaked after a moment. "That's what Lucius did to you, isn't it? He embedded that fear in you. He made you scared of ever loving someone, he made you believe that if you care for someone they'll just break your heart. Draco..." He edged close to the blonde, and gently pulled him closer, wrapping his arms tightly around the blonde.

Draco struggled, he whimpered, he hissed, but he couldn't pull away. Instead he just fell into Harry's grasp, burying his face against the pale, warm neck. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I know I shouldn't feel this way. I'm sorry..." He whispered in a choked sob.

"Draco, it's alright. You can't help who you're attracted to."

"I should be able to! I should...I'm such a freak!" He choked, drawing in a shuddering breath.

"Draco." Harry sat back, craning his head to look at him. "You are not a freak."

Draco hissed, and stood up, racing towards where the door should have been, but it was gone...

"Draco. What if..." He swallowed, "what if I wanted to be with you?"

Draco turned to him, and suddenly let out a laugh. The same Ike at the Grimmauld Place, low, raspy, rough, not at all him but at the same time SO him. "Don't play with my heart, Potter." He rasped. "You, almighty Saint Potter, wanting to be with me, Draco the Freak, a low-life, to scared to even to defend myself." He let out another laugh, "do you know my father? Even if in some twisted way you did like me, it would never work. I'm petrified enough my mother is going to die at his hand, I don't need to be scared for you to." Lies. Lies. Lies. So many lies. I am scared for you. I would die a hundred times over at his hand to be with you.

Harry stood, strode toward him, and even though Harry was slightly shorter, pinned Draco to the wall. Green eyes met silver, both different emotions.

This close Draco could smell Harry's sweet, cold scent. Like...rainwater and...storms, but a sweet, warm feel almost underneath. But it was perfect, it was so him. "Let me go." He whispered.

"No. Never. I got you, you're safe now. I'm never letting go." He whispered, green eyes glittering as he suddenly snatched Draco's lips in his own, pulling him in close.


	13. Of Monsters & Magic

Hey guys! Sorry for updating so late, been busy!

Hope you enjoy!

Also, I've been forgetting to say this, but all characters and everything belongs to J.K Rowling and those dudes who sometimes make movies accurate to books.

...

He struggled against the firm grip for several moments, before finally falling limp, a whimper escaping his throat as he felt Harry's tongue gently brush his lower lip, pleading for entrance. He denied almost instantly, and pulled away, his breathing uneven. "Stop." He pleaded.

"It's ok, Draco," Harry whispered, cupping the side of his face with a hand, gently tracing the smooth skin. "I got you, remember?"

His body gave a involuntary shudder, and he fell deeper into the embrace. He _hated _it. He hated how easily manipulated he was, how easily he fell at the slightest hint of affection. "Harry, please." He whimpered.

"'Harry please' what, Draco? What?" Harry hissed, pushing on Draco's shoulders, until the taller boys knee's bent submissively and he was able to get him at his height.

"Nothing..." Draco whimpered, meeting Harry's staring green gaze with rapidly blinking silver ones.

Harry's grip tightened when Draco started struggling, until Harry realized he wasn't struggling to get away, he was struggling to get lower to the ground.

When Draco realized he had stepped away, he sank to his knees, and tilted his face up, meeting the green orbs with rapidly blinking silver ones. He didn't speak, every muscle was tensed and braced, but his eyes questioning.

Harry lifted his hands from Draco's shoulder, and backed away slightly. "W-what are y-you d-doing?"

Draco just looked at him, a look of fear and questioning in his eyes as he locked his arms behind his back. "What are you waiting for? Just get on with it already," he snapped.

"W-what are y-you talking a-about?" He stammered.

"Why are you waiting? Just hit me."

"What?!" Harry almost shrieked at those words. "No, Draco! I...never! GET UP!"

Draco didn't move a muscle. He let out a soft, submissive whimper. "That's what they all say. Just hit me. _Please."_

Harry panicked, taking another shaky step back. He suddenly knelt down, and shuffled slightly toward him. "Look at me. Please, Draconis."

The blonde flinched at that name, slightly bringing his head up to look at him. No one had ever called him that before, in exception of his mother.

"I am not –now or ever– going to hit you. I'm not going to smack you, whip you, cut you, burn you, or any number of horrendous things your father and the rest of the Death Eaters do to you. Never ever. You hear me?"

"B-but it's g-good f-for m-me. I-I need t-to b-be put in m-my place." Draco whispered.

Harry let out a choked noise, as if he were being strangled. There was a unexplainable ache in his chest, his hands trembling. "No...no, no, no. Draconis, no. I will never, ever do that. Take your hands away from your back. "

He unfolded his arms slowly, and brought them around, curling them in his lap.

"Why are you like this?" Harry rasped.

"Why do you think? Greyback, Bellatrix, my father, Voldemort. They all use me as a play toy whenever they need to take out their anger." Draco let out a choked sob. "Can we please leave? I..need...air."

Harry nodded, picked up Draco's jacket, and stood slowly, helping Draco do his feet. "Wait. There's no door!"

"Don't panic," Draco said softly, "you just have to breathe. Let the Room know what you want. It'll give it to you, eventually. With a little coaxing." He promised.

Harry looked at Draco oddly. "You scare me more and more by the second."

"Harry, look. The Room is like a Thestral; it's only going to trust you if you trust it."

"The Room is like a what? And how the hell do you know this?"

"I read, Potter." Draco muttered, eyes glittering darkly still. His fist clenched suddenly, and there was no longer just blank wall, but a door.

"How...did you...do that?" Harry whispered.

"I didn't. The Room did. Come on, I'll show you what a Thestral is." Draco murmured, trying desperately to forget his...fit...in front of Harry as he shrugged his jacket on, opening the door, and stepping out, Harry soon following.

"So...what is a Thestral?" Harry asked softly.

"Do you even read, Potter!?" Draco hissed, exasperated. He took a deep breath, soon leading Harry outside, towards Hagrid's hut. "They're...horse like creatures. But they have massive black wings, like a bats. They're like skeletons, and they don't really have eyes. People can only see them if they have seen someone die," he stated, trotting down the snow coated hill and snatched a dead ferret from outside of Hagrid's hut.

"Ok...weird, I guess... And that's disgusting, that's a dead ferret, Draco."

"I'm perfectly aware of that. They know who I am, but I doubt they'll trust you if you don't have food. Except for maybe Celestial, she's a sweet little thing." Draco retorted, beckoning him down towards the Forest.

"You _named _them?" Harry hissed.

"Well, yeah." Draco replied in a 'duh' tone. He approached the edge of the Forest, and let out a soft whistle. There was a sudden rustle of movement, and a massive, skeletal horse-like creature emerged from the woods, bounding toward Draco excitedly, spraying snow.

Harry backed away, obviously freaked out.

"Hi, Celestial." Draco whispered. Then the creature backed away when it saw Harry. "Easy, girl. He won't hurt you." He glanced back at Harry. "It's alright, Harry. Breathe, she can sense your fear." The massive creatures nostrils flared at that. "Come here, Harry. She isn't going to hurt you. Give her this," he said, tossing Harry the dead ferret.

Harry took slow steps forward, until he stopped beside Draco. He was uneasy with the skeletal winged horse, and so was the horse. He raised the ferret slowly, and even then the creature stamped its feet, nostrils flared.

"Celestial." Draco said softly, approaching the spooked creature, and resting a hand on its skeletal neck ever so delicately. "It's alright. He's safe. Safe. Flock. My flock. Safe, Celestial, safe." He whispered. The creature swung its narrow, beak like muzzle, as if to protest. "Yes, safe. Flock safe. Flock safe. Food. My flock. Safe." At that, the creature, one hoof at a time, slowly came closer to Harry, and snatched the ferret before backing away quickly. "Good girl!" Draco praised.

"It's...weird." Harry mumbled. "Why do you speak like that to it?"

"It's a her, Potter. And she only understands a few words, like 'safe', 'food' and 'flock.'"

"Draco...what is she exactly?"

"I already told you. She is a Thestral. They're creatures of death, only people who have seen someone die can see them. They are so misunderstood though. They aren't bad creatures because of what they are, but people take them as such." Draco explained. "Right, Celestial? Good girl." He purred when she nuzzled him gently.

Harry winced. **_Cedric_**. He lifted a hand hesitantly, and held it out, palm up towards the Thestral.

She lifted her head away from Draco, taking a step forward, her long neck stretched out, her bony, beaky nose give him hand a hesitant sniff, and took another step forward.

"Good. Safe." Draco reassured the creature, and finally she no longer had to stretch her neck.

Harry flattened his hand, and stroked it lightly over the bony muzzle. The skin, strangely enough, felt almost like leather. The creature let out a soft huff of air, it's bulging white eyes narrowed on him as it flexed its wings.

Strangely, a smile crossed Draco's face, and if someone were to look close enough, there was a glimmer of affection in his silver eyes. The wind licked at Harry's hair, blowing it softly to the side, revealing the fading lightning bolt scar and startling green eyes fully.

Celestial huffed, pulling away from Harry and staring at the sky. She suddenly bolted, and lifted into the air, swooping towards a group of fading black shapes.

"Silly creatures," Draco snorted as a small, what looked to be a baby, Thestral ran out of the Forest, stumbled, before taking flight clumsily.

"Where are they going?" Harry asked softly.

"Hunting." Draco affirmed.

"Draco?" Harry murmured after several moments of silence. Draco turned to him, wisps of pale hair sweeping across his face. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can. But there is the possibility that I can't, or won't, answer it." Draco replied tensely, nodding his head back towards Hagrid's hut, beckoning for Harry to follow.

Harry caught up to him easily, hands shoved in his pockets. "Who died?" He asked suddenly.

"Sorry?" Draco glanced at him, almost stumbling over snow.

"Who did you see die?" Harry asked softly. He knew it was a insensitive question, but something deep down needed to know, somehow everything about the blonde was starting to add up, and if he just knew...

Draco winced, looking away quickly.

"I'm sorry...I won't ask again." Harry murmured, lips twitching to a frown.

"I rather not talk about it, Harry. You understand, right?"

Harry couldn't see Draco's face, but he was sure the Slytherin had a look of sheer desperation on his face. "'Course I do."

Draco lifted his head, climbing the hill slowly. "Harry, about me...l-liking...you..."

"Draco, I don't know. I...I don't know how I feel about this, or how I feel about you." Harry responded, as gently as he could.

He took a deep breath, nodding, and shuddered as a cool wind stripped the land of any remaining warmth it had, a snow shower falling over them suddenly. "Harry!" He gasped, trying to change the subject as quickly as possible. "I know where we can practice! For DA!"

"Where?"

"The Room of Requirement! Come on, we have to tell Granger and Alissa!" He took off up the hill with more enthusiasm then Harry had ever seen in him.

**...**

**April 8th, Room of Requirement, 9:00 PM**

**...**

Needless to say, Draco's plan had worked. And brilliantly so. Students of all ages were dueling, resounding echoes of _"Expelliarmus!"_ And _"REDUCTO!"_ Filling the Room. The students had quickly come to love Harry as a teacher, and quickly mastered the skill of secrecy and stealth, hiding from Umbridge. Stupid teacher, Draco thought, stupid Ministry, stupid High Inquisitor.

"Good, Ginny!" Harry grinned, nodding to the redhead. "Most of you have mastered the disarming spell, stunning spell, and reductive spell," he nodded at Draco as the blond easily disarmed Hermione, "but there is another spell that is used against Dementors. It's called a Patronus. Some come as a corporeal Patronus, taking a form of a animal, others a shield form. Both will protect you none the less. Today we will practice that spell. The incantation is _Expecto Patronum._" He paused, "it's incredibly difficult, but will practice, you will learn. You have to think of the happiest memory you have, the HAPPIEST you can think of. Let it fill you, let it spill into your Patronus." He uttered a spell, and from his wand shot a massive silvery blue stag. It leapt through the air, cantering around the Room. It ran a ring around Draco, and paused, staring at him.

Draco felt a unexplainable surge of delight as the creature surrounded him, and stared at him almost expectantly. Silver-blue flames licked at the stags flank and back legs, mist swirling around its front hooves gracefully. "Hello..." He whispered to the stag softly. It tossed its massive head and cantered around the Room one last time before evaporating. He glanced at Harry, a look of sheer awe, before he looked away as he heard sniggering. _**Weaselby. **_The Gryffindor had joined D.A. back in February, and ever since had constantly teased Harry, Hermione and Draco.

"Poor little Malfoy, he's so happy because of a stupid Patronus, because he can't even produce his own. Poor little weakling, bet you have some serious daddy issues–"

_"Stupefy!"_

Draco jerked sideways, thankful for his insanely quick reflexes, and just missed a flash of blue light, which struck Ron in the chest and threw him backward. Draco slowly turned his head to see Ginny, her wand still out, breath coming in short puffs, her fiery red hair slightly frizzed. He had a growing admiration for the red-head, though he would never admit that he admired a Weasley.

"You alright, Draco?" She straightened up as Ron let out a groan, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"F-fine, thanks, Ginny." He stammered.

"Right..." Harry huffed, glancing at Ron, who was struggling to right himself, "don't go to hard on yourselves if you can't produce a Patronus right away. It's a very difficult spell, and even a shield form is hard."

Draco snatched his wand, and took a slow breath. Suddenly his froze, and looked at Harry. "Hey, Harry..." He said slowly, glancing at his wand.

"Hm?"

"From what I've read, a Patronus can protect you from Dementors, but...can they protect you from spells to? Say I was going to Stupefy you or disarm you, or any sort of spell, could they, a Patronus, protect you from that?"

Harry blinked rapidly as the Room fell silent. "Well...I'm not sure. Possibly they could protect you some."

Draco took a step forward, his armed hand falling to his side. "What about from dark magic?" He asked tentatively.

Harry looked slightly alarmed, suddenly realizing what Draco meant by it. _**His father...**_ "I don't think anything, Patronus or otherwise, can protect you from dark magic."

Draco frowned slightly. "Produce your Patronus again, Harry."

"You aren't going to try dark magic, are you?" Harry asked, panic tinging his voice.

"No you daft git. Just trust me."

"_Expecto Patronum_," Harry whispered, and the large stag slid from his wand, silver flames licking its frame.

_"Stupefy!"_ Draco's snarl made everyone flinch as the sudden burst of blueish light hit the silver flamed creature. The Patronus staggered, but it seemed to swallow the spell, leaving Harry unharmed.

"_Petrificus Totalus_ !" The stag froze for several seconds, but thawed quickly, leaving Harry safe. A grin of stupid delight crossed Draco's face, his eyes glittering.

_"Levicorpus?"_ Draco tried tentatively. The stag's flames swallowed the spell again. _"Reducto!"_ The stag stamped its feet, flickering in and out as Harry lost strength. _"Expelliarmus!"_ That was the end of the precious Patronus. Harry's wand flew from his hand, clattering to the ground several feet away, and the Patronus evaporated.

"You have...a _really...good...Expelliarmus..."_ Harry praised, panting, "that was a really clever idea to think of, Draco."

Draco flushed instantly as a echoing sound of clapping filled the Room. Ginny clapped a hand on his shoulder grinning, "you're a genius, Draco!"

"T-t-thanks..." Draco stammered lamely. Everyone but Ron was clapping, before it faded.

"Alright! Alright! Practice your Patronus now," Harry commanded for silence, retrieving his wand.

Draco stared at his wand apprehensively.

"Remember, the happiest memory you can think of!" Harry shouted over the chorus of voices.

Draco stared at his wand still, and suddenly jumped sideways, wand lashing out as a hand was rested on his shoulder, "STUPE–oh..." He broke off dully, lowering his wand. "It's just you," it was just Harry.

"Easy, I'm not going to hurt you," Harry soothed softly, "I was just passing by. Try it," he indicated to Draco's wand, "focus on a memory, the happiest you can think of."

"I can't do that," Draco whimpered.

"Why not?"

"You said you need a happy memory to produce a Patronus..." Draco jumped as a loud whinny filled the air, a silvery-blue stallion emerging from Ginny's wand, rearing and lashing its hooves.

"Good job, Ginny!" Harry yelped excitedly. "I can't believe it!" He turned to Draco, "what?"

"I'll talk to you in the Dorm. Go help the students," he muttered, before vanishing in the mass of students. He spotted Hermione, trying frantically to get her wand back from Ron.

"Give it here you nasty brute!" She snarled. She let out a yelped as Ron suddenly shoved her back.

Draco lost his breath as she suddenly rammed into him, thrown back by the force of the push. He steadied her, a arm snaking around her to stop her from falling. "_Accio_ wand!" He hissed, and Hermione's wand flew from his hand, and landed easily in Draco's. "Leave her alone, Weaselby." He hissed, releasing Hermione, and sliding in front of her.

"Oh really? And what exactly are you going to do about it?" Ron taunted. "Run off to your Daddy? Or Harry, probably, because you're to weak to take care of yourself."

_"Stupefy!"_ He spat, Ron flying backwards, "take that, pathetic coward. And stay away from her!" He snarled, turning to Hermione, "are you alright, Granger?" He murmured, handing her wand back.

"Yeah...thank you for that. You didn't have to." She murmured, taking her wand.

"Oh, please. It's my pleasure to Stupefy Weaselby anyday."

Hermione let out a laugh, smiling at him. "Of course it is," she rolled her eyes.

"Hey, what the hell happened here?" Harry jogged up to them, glancing at Ron.

"Weaselby thought it was a good idea to take Granger's wand. So I stunned him." Draco replied matter-of-factly, crossing his arms.

"And that was your best option?" Harry tilted his head.

"Well, duh," Draco huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Try not to stun him anymore. Lessons are over for tonight, lets go."

"No!" Draco frowned, "I want to practice more..."

"It's almost past curfew, Draco!" Harry hissed as students started leaving.

"I...need to practice." He huffed, glaring at Harry.

Hermione slowly backed away, and raced after Alissa, and there was suddenly a bout of unconfined laughter as they exited the Room.

Draco hissed as Weasley struggled to his feet. _"Petrificus Totalus!"_

"Draco, what are you doing?"

Draco shoved a hand into his robes, and pulled out a small vile of liquid. "Do you know what this is, Harry?"

"No..."

"This is a extremely powerful potion, it's called Verita Serum. Do you know what it does?"

"Yes, and Draco that stuff is technically illegal! What are you doing with it?" Harry growled.

"Exactly, its just 'technically illegal'. Oh for Salazar's sake, Harry...we want to know the truth about Hermione and him, don't we? And Voldemort?" Draco moved over to Weasley.

"Yes, but you will get in trouble, Draco!"

Draco just rolled his eyes, _"Rennervate,"_ he whispered, drawing his wand over Weasley's frozen form.

Ron sat bolt upright, and tried to move, but found himself stuck in place. "What the bloody hell are you doing, Malfoy?" He spat.

"Drink this, only a little though," Draco growled, shoving the vile at Ron, his wand at his throat.

"No! For all I know you're poisoning me!"

"Drink it. I'm not poisoning you. Drink it or I run you through where you stand, er...sit, in your case. Not to much, Weasley," he added as Ron removed the cork and took a small sip.

"What is it? It tastes vile!" Ron spat, shoving it back at Draco. Draco took it, replaced the cork and hid it in his robes again, and removed his wand.

"It's a truth serum, Weasley. I want to know everything."

Ron's eyes instantly widened.

"Draco, stop!" Harry hissed, racing forward.

"Don't you want to know what's going on?" Draco snarled. "For Merlin's _sake...Petrificus Totalus. Sorry,_ Harry," he added as Harry went stiff as a board, and dropped to the ground. "Alright, Weasel." Draco crouched down at his level. "Tell me. Alissa told me that Hermione Granger has crisscrossed scars on her body, reportedly from you using the spell Cruciatus curse on her, whilst abusing her. Is this true? Did you use the Cruciatus curse on Granger?"

Ron writhed, clamping his mouth closed so tightly his lips turned white. But the words forced themselves out anyway, "yes," he choked, in a gasping, pained type way.

Draco hissed, drawing his arms over his bent knees. "And you did this why?"

"For Him...He asked me...He wanted me to..." He snarled.

"Who, exactly, asked you?" Draco asked tensely.

"Voldemort..." Weasley sobbed.

"And why did you oblige to his wishes?"

"He..." Weasley stopped, struggling to snap his mouth shut, writhing against invisible bounds, "He's paying me. Galleons upon Galleons. I want nothing more then my family to have food and a home."

"Pull your left sleeve up. Now." Draco demanded.

Weasley slowly lifted a hand, and pulled his sleeve up.

Draco's gut tightened in horror. The same, slithering snake through a skull was embedded on Ron's left forearm, just as it was on his own. His throat tightened, and suddenly he released Ron's bounds. "Stay where you are," Draco hissed, standing up. He extended his arm, a shaking hand holding his wand. **_"Obliviate,"_** he whispered in a shaking voice. The look that crossed the Weasel's voice was very strange, dumbfounded even. After several seconds, Draco lowered his wand. "Go, Weasley. You were never here," He hissed.

Ron looked dumbfounded, before struggling to his feet, and taking off, stumbling.

_"Rennervate,"_ Draco whispered, stepping over to Harry. "Sorry about that, I couldn't have you in the way." He whispered.

"You fucking moron!" Harry snarled, standing and shoving Draco against the wall. "You just fucking OBLIVIATED HIM! Do you even know how to do that spell properly? What if you just destroyed all his memories?! As you used a illegal potion!"

Draco whimpered as he hit then wall, and he instantly shrunk to his knees, lowering his head. "I needed to know, Harry. And I do know how to use that spell, I wouldn't have if I didn't know." He whispered.

"Cut this stupid shit with me, Malfoy!" _**Hit him, he deserves it...**_

Draco flinched, and hauled himself from the ground. "You have to understand, Harry. Granger said he hurt her, used a forbidden spell, even, and I needed to know the truth. One hundred percent. I haven't slept in DAYS, Harry, I'm exhausted, I'm drained, physically and emotionally, I'm failing classes and my homework for my O. is so behind its not even funny. And why? Because of him. I have a gut feeling every night that something horrible is going to happen, that you or Granger or Alissa, or Ginny or Neville or Luna or even someone from the Order is going to get hurt, and because of him. The Ministry hasn't even told the Wizarding World that twelve Death Eaters have escaped Azkaban, I am in constant fear that Lucius is going to hurt my mother, or find out about us...Umbridge is on my back every two seconds, Angela is struggling to get Quidditch back, and Dumbledore doesn't seem to care. Sirius and Lupin told me stuff that night at the Grimmauld Place that would scare the shit out of you, and Harry?"

He paused, drawing in a long, shuddering breath, and shoved hair from his face. "I'm done. I was sick of not knowing if he was a Death Eater or not. I don't know what I'm going to have to do to fix this fucking mess we are in, what I'm going to do to protect my mother, what I'm going to have to do to protect you and Alissa and Granger, but you know?" He gave a soft laugh, "damn the consequences because now? Now that I know this? I'm going to do whatever the hell it takes to protect you, and that's not just a promise, I swear on my fucking magic." He winced, a sizzling sensation crawling up his arm. A purple, sparkling strand of magic snaked up his wrist and buried itself there.

"There," Draco murmured, "is that what you wanted? The truth? Then you have it."

Harry stared, dumbfounded, at Draco for several minutes. "You would die for me? Is that what you're trying to say?" He asked softly, almost breathlessly.

"Without even a second thought." Draco replied firmly, before sinking to the ground, drawing his knees to his chest. He looked up at Harry with dull gray eyes. "You don't understand. You don't. I really, really lo–like...you...and..." He drew off, crossing his arms over his knees and watching Harry with a sad, almost desperate, look of his face. "And I care about you, and Granger and Ginny and Neville, all of you."

A deep frown etched its way onto Harry's face, and he suddenly stepped forward, and sank down beside Draco, the anger in his chest fading suddenly. He didn't know what to say, or even do. "You fancy me." He mused. "But...I don't fancy you. Draco, I'm sorry. I really am. But even though you would die for me if it came down to it...I just don't...like...boys."

Draco suddenly turned away from him, but made no move to get up for several minutes. He rose to his feet suddenly, spinning to face Harry. He drew a sleeve across his eye, and gave a sharp nod. "Ok," he whispered in a broken, choked voice, "I see. It's fine, Harry, it's fine, you don't like me, I never expected you to. At least now I know not to keep chasing you." He paused, letting out a rough laugh. "I don't understand why you have tricked me into thinking you like me,"

"Draco...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." Harry whimpered.

No matter how hard he tried, Draco couldn't stop the silent tears from running down his face. He drew in a breath, "it's fine, no, really, it's fine. Bye, Harry." He turned suddenly for the door.

"Why does it sound like you are saying goodbye forever?" Harry whispered, letting his head fall back against the wall in exhaustion.

"Maybe I am." The handle slipped from the pale hand, and the door shut behind Draco, when suddenly Harry leapt up, and pelted after him.

But Draco had fled the empty corridor, down a flight of stairs, and took a different route back to the common room.

"Awe, poor wittle cwybaby Dwaco, all awone witout his wittle Saint Pottah to swave him," came a cold, drawling, mock baby-voice from the shadows, and Pansy, Blaise and Theodore slunk from the shadows, wands raised.

Draco quickly drew his sleeve over his face, glaring at the trio. "What do you want?" He rasped.

"We know about your secret cult with Potter. And your little secret about you fancying him." Pansy pursed her pug-like lips, "it would be a shame if Master Malfoy found out, wouldn't it?" She cooed thoughtfully.

"No, Pansy, please...you wouldn't," Draco whimpered, backing up until his back hit the stone wall.

"You don't even try to deny it?" Theodore spat, advancing on him.

"How pathetic," Blaise snarled.

Draco snatched his wand from his pocket, hissing. "Ex–"

"-_PELLIARMUS!"_

Draco jumped as he heard someone shout, and Pansy was instantly disarmed.

"Leave him alone," what Draco didn't see coming, was that it was Harry, but he wasn't alone. A fiery haired, amber eyes teenage girl had her wand raised at the three, and Draco recognized her instantly: Ginny Weasley.

Theodore gave a little cackle as Hermione and Alissa came up behind Harry and Ginny, and Crabbe and Goyle came out of the shadows. "Ohhh, little Weaslette coming to save Draco, aren't you? Pathetic. He can't even fend for himself; he needs a fourth year girl who's family can't even put food on the table to protect him," he sneered, dark eyes glittering.

"Back off, Nott," Ginny hissed.

"Y'know? I really don't want to. _Stupefy!"_

Before Draco even had time to say 'Qudditch', spells were thrown in every direction, shouts filling the almost empty corridor. _"Levicorpus!"_ He snarled, and suddenly Goyle was thrown in the air, dangling by his ankles. He snorted, and paused, turning around. Ginny had been thrown to the ground, her body giving violent shudders, choked sobs wrenching from her throat. He froze, horrified, knowing exactly what spell was being used on her. "Ginny!" He launched himself forward, stumbling in front of her.

The spell redirected, and slammed into him. Pain beyond explanation stabbed into every inch on his body, and he caught a glimmer of Theodore's malicious grin, before he dropped to his knees, body twitching and jerking as if he had been electrocuted. But he was used to it, used to the burning, the aching, the feeling of being ripped from his own skin...

"WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN IS GOING ON HERE?!" A shriek filled the air, and suddenly the pain stopped, evaporating. He blinked open his eyes, Ginny's sobbing form sprawled in front of him, her bright red hair hiding her face. He looked up, to see McGonagall, looking utterly furious.

"NEVER IN ALL MY—YOU WERE—EXPLAIN!" She shrieked furiously.

"Professor," Draco gasped softly, a hand on Ginny's shoulder, "let me explain..."

But Pansy, Theodore, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, Alissa, Hermione, Harry and somehow now Luna and Neville all burst into angry chatter, snarling and shouting.

"SILENCE!" Minerva snarled, "speak, Malfoy!" She snapped.

Ginny gave a twitch and small sob from under Draco's touch, but lay still. "I was taking a different route to the common room, Professor, when Parkinson, Nott and Zabini ambushed me–"

"WE DID NO SUCH THING!" Pansy shrieked.

"SILENCE!" Minvera snapped again, and Pansy shrunk away.

"They had their wands out, but Ginny somehow heard what was happening–" she gave a small shudder "–and disarmed Parkinson. I-I think it was Nott who teased her, and it was Crabbe who threw the first attack. I-I don't know what happened, or how it got this bad... but someone used...used the...the Cruciatus curse on Ginny." He fell utterly silent, and watched as McGonagall swelled with rage.

"Who," McGonagall said very slowly, and way to calmly for the situation, "has dared to use a forbidden curse on Miss Ginny Weasley? Step. Forward. Now."

No one even moved a muscle.

"Ginny," Draco bent, nudging Ginny gently, "hey, it's alright. They can't hurt you anymore. Can you answer McGongall's question? Do you know who used that curse on you?" He asked softly.

Ginny slowly stirred, sitting upright, and pushed her hair from her face, looking at Draco. He held out a hand, and she took it nervously, and he helped her stand. "Who used that curse?"

Ginny swallowed hard, and glanced at McGonagall, "T-Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson. They both did, Professor." She whispered, staring at her feet.

McGonagall looked as if she were going to explode in rage. "I want all of you to follow me. NOW. And if anyone of you steps a toe out of line..." She gave a warning glare, and turned, storming up the corridor.

Harry hurried to come beside Draco and Ginny, Ginny's face pale and her gaze on her feet as she numbly followed their teacher. No one spoke the whole way there, not even to shoo away Peeves when he followed them, singing and blowing raspberries loudly.

They followed McGonagall up the stairs, and into the Headmaster's office. "Albus?"

"Hello, Minerva? Oh goodness, what seems to be the problem now?"

"Oh, Albus. We have a long night ahead of us."


End file.
